


How to Document Your Dragon

by SariaCreed



Category: DreamWorks Dragons (Cartoon)
Genre: Dragon Riders, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Female Character of Color, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:47:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 192,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24443083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SariaCreed/pseuds/SariaCreed
Summary: The people of the Shimmering Shores prize collecting knowledge above all else. It is customary that once a child reaches maturity, they travel to another tribe and document all they learn for at least two years. Upon completion of their studies, they are to return to the homeland and present all their findings as well as a copy of their notes for the Archive. Many choose to continue their travels afterwards as the allure of collecting knowledge can be overwhelming. Those who choose to remain on the shores after their rite of passage are held in high esteem as they are responsible for protecting all the volumes collected through generations. They earn the title Custodian and a new chief is chosen among them when the old feels they can no longer perform their duties.
Relationships: Dagur the Deranged/Original Female Character(s), Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson
Comments: 45
Kudos: 33





	1. The Shimmering Shores

**Author's Note:**

> The people of the Shimmering Shores prize collecting knowledge above all else. It is customary that once a child reaches maturity they travel to another tribe and document all they learn for at least two years. Upon completion of their studies they are to return to their homeland and present all their findings as well as a copy of their notes for the archive. Many choose to continue their travels afterwards as the allure of collecting knowledge can be overwhelming. Those who choose to remain on the shores after their rite of passage are held in high esteem as they are responsible for protecting all the volumes collected through generations. They earn the title Custodian and a new chief is chosen among them when the old feels they can no longer perform their duties.
> 
> Tengan is the daughter of the current chieftess, Makara. Her time of pilgrimage is upon her and yet she had not chosen which tribe to travel to. She has spent her childhood pouring over her ancestors journals and is eager to bring new knowledge to their family's shelves. The problem is most all tribes within sailing distance have been thoroughly documented already. She has almost resigned herself to deepening the knowledge of a few already known tribes in the area when a Viking chief and his son quite literally fall out of the sky.

"Tengan! Are you up yet?" Makara tapped on the canvas wall of the three roomed tent-like structure they called home. "I told you not to stay up late reading, we have the clansmeet today. I'd like you present and pleasant missy."

"I'm up, I'm up..." came the mumbled reply. Tengan stretched, moaning into the euphoric feeling of muscles stretching out of their cramped position. Rubbing her eyes, she gathered up the leather bound copy of "Tools of the Trade", a recounting of her grandfathers time with a trading ship, the melted stub of her second candle this week, and her ever lengthening scroll on the pros and cons of studying under each available local tribe. Stifling another yawn, she packed the items away in her well worn trunk made from petrified wood and well oiled sealskin, another inherited item from her grandfather's time traveling with tradesmen.

"Why do I even bother trying to get you to bed on time?" Makara chuckled, eyeing her daughter's baggy eyes and knotted bird's nest of hair. Smiling softly, she kissed Tengan's forehead and pressed a lump of bread and half an apple into her hand. "Breakfast. Then go wash your face. A few of the chiefs made landfall already."

Tengan smirked back at the older woman. In between bites of apple she murmured "Has chief Leto arrived?"

"Yes. And I think he learned something from last year's incident. He hasn't made the same mistake of his father. From what I head he plans on leaving us one of his ships this time around." A glint appeared in the chieftess' eye as she absent mindedly palmed the hilt of her sabre.

Tengan snorted. While her people prized collecting and sharing knowledge above all, no one could ever call them weak or naive. While all were welcome to come and learn from their stores, originals were never to be taken from the library. Copies would be made of those who requested it and for a price. In order to receive knowledge, one must give in return. Decades ago it had become customary for all tribes within sailing distance to gather once a year to trade scrolls, blueprints, or even examples of craftsmanship for copies of their collected works. Last year, one chief, known at Mero, had decided that he would simply sneak into the library and take the volumes he desired. Makara had the pleasure of informing his son Leto the next morning that he was the new chief of his tribe. She had even been kind enough to let him take his father's body and head back to their homeland for a burial.

Makara nudged her daughter towards the opening of the tent. "Now don't you go mentioning that at the clansmeet. Leto has been brave enough to return and with proper compensation. Enough chat, go wash up and join us at the square."

"I'm going, I'm going!" Tengan stumbled out into the rapidly rising sun. Squinting towards the coast, she could barely make out a few ships drifting lazily towards the docks and the mess of peoples meandering into the village from those that had already successfully either docked or moored. Stuffing the remainder of her breakfast into her mouth she started towards the river that marked the eastern edge of the village. Several times she called out "good mornings" to the few stragglers that, like her, seemed to have a hard time rising early. Most of the village had already congregated on the shore to greet old friends and get a jump on documenting any changes or new additions to their guests' ships.

Without pausing to think of the chill in the water she knelt at the edge and plunged her face below the surface. Quickly, she scrubbed the sleep from her eyes and combed her fingers through the curly mass of thick tangles on her head. The gentle flow of the cold stream eased the knots as it flowers over her. With a gasp and shudder, she flipped her head back, sending hundreds of droplets down her neck and shoulders. While annoyingly chilly now, the water would rapidly dry under the harsh sun of the Shimmering Shores in next to no time.

Breaking into a trot, Tengan made her way back through the village, painfully aware that she was now officially the last person to make her way to the shore. Thankfully no one seemed to notice her tardiness. They all seemed fixated on a point in the distance. A few members had spyglasses trained on the subject of inquiry. As silently as she could, Tengan sidled up to her mother. "What's everyone looking at? Is there a new style of sail on one of the ships this year?"

"No." Makra responded quietly, eyes unblinking, unmoving from the same, now larger point on the horizon. Her intense gaze seemed hungry, almost longing.

Tengan brought a hand up to shade her eyes, squinting at the point. It seemed to divide into two now and was growing much too quickly to be a ship. Before she could ask again, Makara pressed a spyglass into her hands. Tengan pressed it to her eye, turning the center cylinder slowly to bring the two points into focus. "What…? OH!" She gasped, the spyglass slipping in her hands. She rapidly refocused, body tense. No, there was no way. Finding the points again she blinked rapidly to make sure it wasn't a trick of the light. One of the growing specks was blue, the other a pure black. The blue shape seemed oddly flat and wide while the black was longer, more streamlined. Both moved supported on wings of different lengths.

"Dragons! Mother, how? I thought they never flew this far south?" Tengan gasped, eyes still focused on the approaching reptiles. "Do you think they'll attack?" She spared her mother the briefest of glances.

"No, I don't think they will." Makara responded, eyes still trained on the dragons with all the focus of a hunting cat. "Look closer Little Scribe."

Tengan pressed her eye to the glass for a third time. The dragons were much closer now. Their speed ws truly as incredible as their tomes described. At this distance she could make out two individuals on the dragons. A much larger man sat astride the blue, squat one while a spinly boy looking to be a couple years younger than herself saw low over the black one's back. Tengan's heart swelled with excitement. "Are those-"

"Dragon Riders." Makara finished, a wolfish grin on her face. "This meet is going to be one to remember; I'm sure."

It took nearly an hour for Tengan and Makara to make their way to the front of the crowd of people. Both the members of their tribe and the unencumbered members of the visiting groups had gathered enmasse around the riders the moment their steeds touched the sands.

"Mother, why aren't you advancing? Surely they would allow you to the right as host." Tengan bounced on the balls of her feet, desperately craning her neck to peer at the dragons and riders.

"I'm sure they would. Patience, Tengan. Our people have not had the opportunity to study something so new on our own shores for many decades. The meet will last a few days. We will have plenty of opportunities to question Stoic and his boy while they are here."

"Stoick the Vast? From Berk? Are you sure? I thought they never came to the meets." Tengan craned her neck further, catching a glimpse of a ginger beard before the crowd thickened again.

"I'm sure, and they rarely decide to make the month long trip overseas, but Berk does occasionally make the journey. The last time they came was when you were first learning to walk. Stoick and I had long discussions of parenting as you were newly mobile and his wife had recently learned she was with child. If I had to guess, I'd say that's his son. I remember you became rather attached to Stoick on his last visit. He crafted the tiny wooden sword you used to carry around before departing." Makara squeezed her daughter's shoulder before waving mildly at the two celebrities as Stoic made eye contact.

"That can't be Makara! You look the same as you did fourteen years ago!" Boomed the viking chief as he slipped in between the mass of people, his son and the two dragons following with some difficulty and a few trodden toes.

"And you've somehow grown ever vaster you salty old man." Makara pulled the chief in for a one armed hug, the grin of two reunited friends mirrored on their faces.

"Always so quick to insult." Stoic chuckled, good naturedly. "May I introduce my son Hiccup?" He stepped to the side as the small boy squeezed his way between the beasts to stand before them.

"Uh, hi." He smiled before almost being knocked off balance by the black dragon's impatient snout. "This pushy reptile is Toothless." He patted the dragon's scaly snout. "And my father's partner is Thornado." The blue dragon keened in response to his name. "Uh is there anywhere we can scrounge up some fish for them? They've had a long flight."

Makara nodded. "Of course, my daughter, Tengan can show you to the pen we keep stocked in the river." She turned her attention to the pulsing crowd of mixed peoples encircling them. "I'm sure you all have plenty of questions for our guests but I pray you all return to your preparations for this evening." Her tone was light but the hardness in her eyes left no question as to whether or not this request was to be honored. In twos and threes the members of the Shimmering Shores peeled off with several long backward glances. Following their lead, the members of the visiting tribes followed suit. "Come Stoick, it has been much too long since our last conversation. Why don't you join me in our tent for some refreshments while the children tend to the dragons. I fear come this evening's storytelling circle you will not be left unmolested until the conclusion of the meet."

"Aye, I think your right. Very well." Stoick conceded with a chuckle. "Hiccup" he addressed his son, "Follow Tengan and take good care of Thornado." He scratched his dragon's chin rather gently.

"Comeon dad, you're talking to the best dragon rider on Berk." Hiccup chuckled before turning to Tengan. "Tengan was it? Lead the way."

Tengan grinned and nodded, struggling to keep her eyes on the spindly boy and not the dragons as she addressed him. "Of course right this way!"

It was fortunate the salmon had spawned so plentifully this year. Tengan estimated that between the two dragons their stock had been depleted by nearly two hundred. She had lost count around one hundred and thirteen. Sated, both reptiles lay basking in the early afternoon sun. "So you were the one that gave Toothless this wound? And he forgave you?" Tengan asked as her fingers trailed along the uneven edge of where the tail fin once was. Toothless' lips curled back and his body wiggled as her fingers danced along the scales. "Sorry! Didn't realize dragons were ticklish!" She quickly withdrew to jot down a few quick notes in the small bit of folded paper she kept tucked away in her belt pouch.

Apparently she had spent too long focusing on her work as both dragons decided to bump her hands with their snouts in a silent plea for more attention. "Wow, who knew they were so…. cuddly."

Hiccup chuckled. "Right? None of us did. Now I can't imagine life on Berk without them. But to answer your question, yeah, that was me. To be fair, I think we're pretty even now after the encounter with the Red Death." He held out the metal prosthetic, turning it slightly.

Tengan earned noises of discontent from both dragons as she abruptly shifted her attention away from them to Hiccup's leg. "Red Death?" She queried while sketching a rough approximation of the leg. She hadn't even noticed the artificial limb during her obsessive observations of Toothless and Thornado.

"Ah, Dad wants me to save that story for the circle tonight. But I promise it's a- ARGHH TOOTHLESS GET OFF!" he hollered as the Night Fury promptly sat in his lap and pressed his shovel-shaped head into Tengan's chest.

"Tengan laughed and butted heads with the dragon while reaching behind his leathery ears. "Who knew dragons were such attention hogs?"

She could have sworn she heard a bark of muffled, sarcastic laughter somewhere underneath the dragon's bulk.


	2. A Rider's Tail

The first night of the clansmeet was always Tengan's favorite. Her people prepared food using recipes collected from their neighboring tribes in the hopes of impressing the guests with flavors from home. After the feast, the gifts of knowledge or skill were presented around the glowing embers of the large fire pit in the center of the village. Each gift came with an accompanying story from those presenting it. This year she was lucky enough to avoid scribe duty. Those that had been chosen would meticulously record the gits and stories as they were told. Unburdened, she would be free to lose herself in the fantastic tales without worrying she had misquoted a phrase.

The following day, the visiting tribes would pursue their ever growing library and place requests for copies. Those copies would be crafted over the course of three to five days while short seminars and discussions would be held all over the village. Everything from fishing techniques to weapons demonstrations would occur. Anything new would be recorded and stored. Once the copies were completed the Feast of Farewell would be held before all departed. But tonight was for stories. Tonight was for dreaming. Tonight was for dragons.

Tengan sat straight backed next to her mother. Hiccup waved sheepishly at her across the firepit. She gave him a small wave back as her eyes traced to Toothless and Thorndo, who sat behind their riders with all the polite focus one would expect of a chief. In the dark, the Thunderdrum's hide glowed a deep sapphire, ivory teeth flashing with each spark. Toothless, on the other hand, all but disappeared in the gloom. His silhouette barely viable and green eyes seemed to hover a couple feet above the viking teens head. Every few moments or so they would blink out of existence before returning. Tengan had to admit to herself that the species name Night Fury seemed perfectly appropriate. As gentle as she knew the dragon to be after one day in his company, those eyes promised nothing short of death for those that threatened him or the boy sitting at his feet.

Tengan's wrenched her attention back to the ceremony as her mother stood and peered around at the gathered group. All whispers immediately ceased.

"Here we are again," Makra began, a wide warm smile tugging at her lips. " Another year, another clansmeet. I am thrilled to see you all on our shores. Each year we delight in hearing about all of your adventures. I can tell this year will reveal a few truly extraordinary chapters to add to our ever unrolling scroll known as history." She inclined her head to Stoick, who mirrored the gesture in return. "Now!" She continued, arms swept upwards towards the full moon. "Enough of my voice. Let the tales commence!"

A cheer accompanied by a collaboration of earthenware mugs, wineskins, tankards, and ale horns punched into the air. The two dragons arched their necks towards the sky, adding their roars to the din. A bolt of pure energy left Toothless' maw and fractured into a thousand points of light overhead. Several people sitting near the dragons flinced before the hurrahs reached a deafening level. Tengan could have sworn she saw Hiccup mouth something suspiciously close to "showoff".

The night danced by as tribe after tribe presented their gift and tale. The steadily growing pile of offerings included lists of recently discovered plants, hides of far off beats, journals of well traveled nomads, samples of preserved meats and fruits, improved farming equipment, and, Tengan found this particularly interesting, a collection of several glittering gemstones with a comprehensive list of the soil composition and geographical location of each one.

Each presenter made quite a show of their item before placing it gingerly before Makra and beginning their tale. While it was always an unspoken competition as to who could weave the most exciting yarn, it seemed this year everyone seemed desperate to capture the attention of those around them. Tengan couldn't blame them. It seemed everyone's eyes kept flicking to the dragons resting at the edge of the circle every few seconds. She even caught a few of the scribes hurriedly placing their quills back to their parchment after a short lapse in concentration. Her emotions sea-sawed between feeling bad for the presenters desperately trying to keep the attention of the crowd from slipping through their fingers like water, and growing impatience that the Berkians had not taken the stage yet. She was sure it was her mother's doing. To be fair, it would be rather cruel to have someone try to follow up on the tale of the newly formed Dragon Riders.

Finally, blessedly, it was time. Stoick stood smoothly with Hiccup scrambling to his feet moments later. For a moment, no one moved, no one blinked. The only audible sounds were the rumbling breaths of the dragons and the gentle crackling of the fire. In unison, almost as if they had practiced, the two pulled two items from their saddlebags. In Stoick's arm sat cradled a long, curved saber protected in a yakhide sheath. In Hiccup's an oiled tube of sealskin. Stoick took the lead, pointendly ignoring the rapt stares as he crossed the circle and pulled the blade free. The metal almost glowed in the light of the fire. Kneeling, the chief of berk presented the blade to Makara. "This sword has been tempered by the magnesium flames of a Deadly Nadder. It is of the hardest and sharpest blades ever crafted by my people."

Makara nodded and accepted the blade, taking a moment to peer at her reflection in the metal. Her dark brown skin glowed almost orange in its depths. "Thank you Stoick. I have yet to see its equal. It will be tested and all attributes recorded for all who wish to learn from it."

Stoick stood and took a step back before clapping Hiccup on the shoulder. The boy surged forward under the force of his father's blow and cleared his throat. "In this tube," he began, uncorking it "are the original schematics I invented to create Toothless' prosthetic tail fin." He unrolled the papers to show a collection of sketches accompanied by rows of figures and final measurements.

Makara's eyebrows rose ever so slightly. "A truly wonderful addition of knowledge. A unique invention. Thank you, Hiccup. I am sure I can speak for my people when I say these plans will be one of our more treasured additions."

Hiccup bowed his head slightly as he handed over the plans. He spared Tengan a shy smile, who sent back a subtle wink and thumbs up as he backed away.

Makara's smile softened. "Now Hiccup. I'm sure we all would love to hear the story of the Dragon Riders."

"Wha- me?!" Hiccup blanched and looked around quickly. Every pair of eyes were trained on him. Each quill poised to write, their owners quivering with anticipation. Hiccup spared a silent plea for help over his shoulder towards his father. Stoick sat cross-legged in his previous spot in front of Thornado. "Uh, Dad. Wouldn't you rather-"

"Go on, son." Stoick gestured lazily towards his son. "It's your tale, or tail as it were." He chuckled at his own pun.

Hiccup's eyes roamed over his traitorous father and back to Makara and Tengan. Both mother and daughter smiled and nodded ever so slightly. A silent bid to continue.

With a weary sigh Hiccup began his tale and everything in the present melted away before Tengan's eyes. Breathlessly she listened as Hiccup spoke, first haltingly, then with growing confidence, of the growing relationship he formed with Toothless. She could hear the guilt in his voice when he mentioned shooting Toothless down and discovering the importance of his tail. She could feel the anxiety that must have run through him as he told of how he hid his excursions to the cove and the triumph he must have felt as they successfully flew for the first time. She felt tears sting her eyes as Hiccup's voice dropped to barely above a whisper when they were found out and Toothless was torn from him, muzzled, and forced to lead the Berkians to the nest of the Red Death, the tyrant queen. Her voice joined the others in cheer as Hiccup recounted, quite humbly, as he convinced the other teens of the village to befriend and ride the remaining captive dragons to the lair to challenge the Red Death for their freedom. Hiccup seemed to avoid eye contact as he described the defeat of the Queen, emphasizing Toothless' prowess while diminishing his own role. He barely mentioned the loss of his leg in battle, something Tengan had heard warriors boast about for years after.

"And now everyone on Berk lives alongside the dragons now. We've even repurposed the arena into our Dragon Training Academy where we focus on learning as much as we can from them. It's been difficult but I couldn't imagine life without Toothless." As if on cue, the Night Fury stalked into the center of the circle, the black shape of his body detaching from the shadows of the night and into the firelight. His hard snout bumped up under the boy's arm, neck arching into the contact.

Makara inclined her head in a deep bow. "Thank you Hiccup. A copy of your tale will be recorded, illustrated, and given to you before your departure. You should have a copy of the historic moment you helped create." She brought her hands together in applause, breaking the tense silence that permeated the circle of bodies. Within moments the group erupted into cheers, many breaking to their feet to crowd around Hiccup and Stoick. Toothless and Thornado offered their voices to the din once more, seemingly pleased with the never ending stream of praises being sung in their direction.

Makara sank back into her seat next to Tengan and slung her arm over her daughter's shoulders. "Are you quite alright Little Scribe? You look at those dragons as a Custodian stares at their charges." she chucked.

Tengan stared unblinkingly at Hiccup and Toothless. Something had sparked within her the moment those two dragons descended to the shore that morning. Hiccup's tale had only fanned it into a burning flame, hotter than the one that lit the gathering. "Mother, a whole group of teenagers. Flying on dragonback. Learning about them. Bonding with them."

"What a wonderful time to be coming of age." Makara rubbed her daughter's shoulder, drawing her in for a one-armed embrace. "Even though it's only two years, I am going to miss you while you're on Berk."

Tengan's head whipped around so fast, she would have smashed into her mother's face if the older woman hadn't flinched back. "What?! You mean-"

"Why do you think Stoick and I spent so long parlaying in our tent today? I knew the moment I saw them over the horizon this morning you would want to go. Stoick knows of our traditions and is willing to let you complete your studies on Berk." Makara could not hide her grin, although Tengan noticed a glimmer of unshed tears in her mother's eyes.

"Mother…" the younger woman began. "That sounds wonderful. But, I can't leave now. Not so soon after Father."

"You can and you will." Makara stated with the authoritative tone usually reserved for chieftess duties. "I am not a spring foal who cannot untangle her legs. Of course I miss having your father here, as much as I will miss you, but he was always drawn to collecting obscure, far off bits of knowledge. If he returns to find you passed up this opportunity he'd never forgive either of us. In fact, I think he'd disown you. No offspring of his would forego a chance to learn the tools of dragon training."

Tengan sniffled slightly, her heart trying to figure out if it felt prematurely homesick or overwhelmingly excited. Unable to decide, she flung her arms around her mother's neck, allowing her mixed emotions to fall freely in her tears. "T-Thank you mother. I'll make you proud."

"You already do. Every day." Makara embraced her child tightly, fighting off the hovering knowledge of just how long two years is. Pulling away she first swiped her child's tears away with her thumb then her own. "Enough of this foolishness. We still have several days of preparation and festivities until you leave. Now why don't you go tell Hiccup you'll be joining them on the return journey. I believe Stoick was waiting for you to officially accept before filling him in."

Tengan swallowed and nodded, her lips stretching into a broad gin. Scrambling to her feet she bounded towards the throng, weaving and diving through the mass of her people and visiting vikings. "Hey, hey Hiccup! GUESS WHAT!?" Her heart soared as high as the embers leaping from the flames to join the stars in the night sky. She couldn't believe it. In a few days time she would be winging her way to Berk to learn the ways of the Dragon Riders!


	3. Blades and Bades

"Do you really need all of those journals?" Hiccup asked as he watched Tengan try, unsuccessfully, to squash her bag closed around the numerous blank, leather bound volumes.

"Of course I do! There is so much to learn. Before now our tribes were lucky to have contact every twenty years. I can't chance running. out. of. paper!" she punctuated each word with a shove into the desperately overstuffed bag.

Hiccup sat back on her bedroll and shared glances with Toothless who had stuck his large head through a rolled up section of the tent wall to oversee the proceedings. "Ya know I think you'll get along fine with Fishlegs, another rider and a good friend of ours. He's almost as obsessed with learning about dragons as you are." he finished with a chuckle.

Tengan sagged over the mound of books, panting. She cast an exasperated look at Hiccup before straightening. "Isn't there a seminar you want to see? It's the last day of the clansmeet after all…. and that would allow me to pack in peace" she added under her breath.

Hiccup scratched the back of his head. "I would, but between poking at my leg and fielding questions about Toothless' saddle setup, we haven't actually made it to a single lecture."

Tengan, still winded, cringed. "Sorry about that. Like I said, there's already so little known about the tribes of the archipelago and adding dragons to the mix has only made your homeland more alluring." She slouched against her bag, head tilted back at the sloped canvas ceiling. "I can't wait to see it. You said it snows for more than half the year?"

Hiccup nodded, his right hand absentmindedly scratching behind Toothless' ear. "Yup. On Berk we have winter and devastating winter… How many warm clothes did you pack?"

"Err…." Tengan lifted her head. "I may or may not have forgotten to pack clothes."

The two teens shared a hearty laugh as the Night Fury cocked his head at the noise. "Tell you what" Hiccup sputtered between chuckles, "I'll make sure to stock up on extra scrolls of paper and empty journals as soon as the trader ships come through. Johan is actually due pretty soon after we get back."

"Hiccup Haddock you have yourself a deal." Tengan titled her head back to gaze at the ceiling once more as she blindly extended her right hand for a shake. Instead of gripping a lightly calloused palm as expected, Tengan felt a long, fleshy, slimy appendage worm up her hand and in between two fingers, leaving a slimy trail behind. With a shriek she sat up quickly to see Toothless' neck extended as far into the tent as he could reach, his pink forked tongue lolling lazily out of what was unmistakably a gummy smile.

Hiccup roared with laughter as Tengan tried in vain to wipe the saliva off on the floor of the tent.

"You told him to do that!" she cried out, trying desperately to force down giggles of her own. She was rather surprised to hear Toothless grunting rhythmically in his chest and made a mental note to jot down that dragons could laugh and that they clearly had a lousy sense of humor.

Packing and repacking took the rest of the morning and into the early afternoon. Despite Hiccup's assurances that she would not want for paper or writing utensils, Tengan still had a hard time limiting her selection of supplies. She had finally settled on two shoulder packs. One contained a few changes of clothes as well as her bedroll and all the warm weather gear she owned. The second held several tightly rolled scrolls of paper, two empty leather bound journals gifted to her by her father on her last birthday, a few quills from exotic bird feathers, and three small bottles of ink.

"I think we have time to see the final weapons demonstration if you were interested. Your father and my mother are scheduled to test the limits of the sword he gifted her." Tengan spoke over her shoulder as she adjusted the straps on her bags.

"Sure! If we can make it across without being stopped for questioning." Hiccup sighed, leaning against Toothless' side.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about it. As interesting as the two of you are no one misses the final weapons demonstration. Whoever holds the title of chief or cheiftess is responsible for acting as the last line of defense for our library. They are expected to be able to hold their own against any opponent. While I'm sure they won't go all out simply to test a new blade, a sparring match between Stoick the Vast and Makara the Wise is not one to be missed."

As predicted, no one attempted to stop the odd trio as they made their way to the arena. Despite being the offspring of the opponents, if they hadn't been accompanied by a dragon, Tengan doubted the crowd would have parted enough for them to see.

Stoick stood on one end of the dirt ring, his shirt discarded, a sight that forced an embarrassed groan from Hiccup. He held no shield, only a short, sturdy hammer. Makara bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet in the other corner, a wolfish grin on her face, and the new blade gripped loosely in her hand, it's sheath buckled to her belt. Thornado sat squatly at the edge of the arena, his small eyes flicking between the two. Occasionally his tongue darted out as if to taste the tension in the air.

It was the most intense practice session either teen had ever witnessed. Stoick clearly outclassed his opponent when it came to size and brute strength. However, Makara flexibility and agility could not be denied. Their weapons rang together with crashing musical notes with increasing frequency. They sprang forward and backward as if it were more of a dance than battle. Several times Makara had to twist her body in ludicrous angles to avoid a touch from Stoick's hammer. Noises from the crowd rose and fell with the intensity of the blows. The match finally concluded as the two leaders sprang together in sync, the hollow metallic clang of their blows accompanied by a rainbow of sparks from the metal. For several heartbeats they stood eyeing one another, sweat dripping from the pair. Something invisible shifted between the two and they stepped away and bowed deeply to one another.

"A fine blade indeed Stoick" Makara spoke, her breath surprising even.

"Aye, a good fit for a skilled warrior." Stoick grinned, his breath undisturbed as well.

Makara nodded and turned to the crowd, holding the blade aloft. "My friends, have we not enjoyed ourselves these past few days?" An uproar of noise, and a couple actual roars from the dragons answered her. "This clansmeet has been one of the best in recent and written memory. And it is with a heavy heart I call it to an end. However, before we depart for the Feast of Farewell I have a final word of thanks to give." Makara and Stoick nodded to one another before she gestured openly to Hiccup and Tengan. "Stoick the vast and his son Hiccup have graciously opened their home to my daughter Tengan and will allow her to complete her rites of passage on Berk, studying the ways of the Dragon Riders."

Tengan found her face flush with heat and resisted the urge to shrink in on herself as all eyes and cheers turned on them. It was only extremely hesitantly that the two teens stepped forward when beckoned, although Toothless seemed to almost strut forward, his neck arching proudly.

Makara placed her hand on Tengans shoulder while Stoick mirrored the movement with Hiccup. Once the cheers died down the chieftess spoke once more. "I have but one gift to bestow upon her before her journey." She unbuckled the sword belt holding the magnificent dragon tempered blade and oiled sheath before buckling it around Tengans waist. "Stoick did not boast when he spoke of this blade's craftsmanship. May you wield it proudly in my name and use it to protect those you care for and the knowledge you collect." Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to the center of Tengans forehead. "May the stars guide your quest my child, wherever that may bring you." Straightening, Makara retrieved a tube of oiled leather from a small pile of what looked to be the rest of Stoick's clothes resting between Thornado's forepaws. "For Hiccup," she began, holding the tube aloft "As promised, an illustrated copy of his epic tale 'The Dawn of the Riders'." She pressed the tube into the boy's hands before pulling him into an embrace. "Watch over my daughter" she whispered in a slightly pleading tone upon releasing him.

Hiccup and Tengan glanced at one another before holding their respective gifts aloft for all to see. "Did you know about this?" he hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

"About your scroll? Yes. The sword? No. And during the final demonstration? Definitely not." she whispered back.

The feast passed in a blur for Tengan. She found herself fingering the hilt of the blade, her blade she reminded herself, several times in between fielding questions about her upcoming journey and swallowing the occasional mouthful of food the brief lulls in conversation allowed her. She suspected Hiccup and Stoick were just as busy if not more so than her as this was everyone's last opportunity to ask questions or beg favors from the riders before their departure.

It was customary that while most made the effort to land on the shores in the morning of the first day, they were to depart as the sun set on the final day. As day cycles into night, so too does the sun set on another meet, or so the tradition goes. Tengan was thoroughly shocked to see the last rays of sun slipping to the horizon as Stoick placed his hands on the teens' shoulders. "Time to head out. Tengan, your bags are already on Thornado's saddle. Come join us at the beach once you've said goodbye to your mother."

Tengan nodded, a strangely hard lump in her throat as she turned from the two vikings. Makara wasn't too far. She was hugging a pair of purple clad visitors goodbye as they made their way to the shores, chattering on about promises of spices they'd supply for next year's feast.

"Mother? Stoick says it's time to go." She murmured at her feet. For the moment she had no idea why she ever agreed to this venture in the first place.

"So it is Little Scribe." Makara smiled at her daughter and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Make sure to document your thoughts on the day before bed. They will be fresher that way."

"I know Mother" was Tengans feeble reply and she gripped Makara's shirt tightly.

"...I'll miss you, Tengan." she spoke softly, one hand smoothing her daughter's hair.

"I'll miss you too, Mother." Tengan choked back as a couple tears slid free.

"Now now, no crying. You need to be able to see clearly tonight. It's your first flight on dragonback and I expect an accurate report."

Tengan let out a sound that teetered between a laugh and a sob as she pulled away, wiping her tears. For a moment both the older and younger woman stared at each other. Two years never seemed longer than it did in that one eternal moment.

"Go now. They're waiting for you. I can't wait to hear all about your adventures." Makara gestured to the shore.

With a small nod, Tengan spun on her heel and ran to the awaiting dragons. She knew if she hesitated another moment she'd never leave. Skidding to a stop in front of Hiccup sitting astride Toothless she forced a grin. "Ready!"

Hiccup leaned forward and offered her his hand. "You're riding with the two of us since Thornado has the extra bags."

Stoick nodded "Berk is about three straight days of flying north of here. We won't be going too far tonight. There's a forested outcropping a few miles away. We'll camp there."

Tengan nodded her assent as she settled into the warm leather seat behind Hiccup. She looped one arm around the younger boy's waist and gripped the edge of the saddle with her free hand. "Sounds good. Let's go!"

"You heard the lady, bud!" Hiccup called, his prosthetic shifting slightly to open the artificial tail fin.

With a roar of what could only be described as pure joy, Toothless spread the large bat-like black wings on either side of him and kicked off the ground hard.

Tengan let out an involuntary gasp as the force drove her deeper into the saddle. She involuntarily shut her eyes for several seconds before mentally cursing at herself and cracking them open once more. They had already climbed tens of feet into the air and were rapidly circling upwards on a warm draft. Looking up, she could only see the full moon surrounded by hundreds of stars. Below, the people on the Shimmering Shores dwindled into insignificant specks as the ocean spread out endlessly before them.

Angling slightly downward to escape the updraft, Toothless leveled off in the air next to Thornado and the two turned their great heads north, murmuring low growls to one another on occasion.

"Hey, Tengan" Hiccup commented somewhat breathlessly. "You think you could loosen your grip a bit?"

"Oops, sorry!" She squeaked, forcing all the muscles in her arms to relax a bit. "Hiccup, this is amazing! How can you two ever bear to be on the ground!"

Hiccup laughed. "This is nothing! Tomorrow I'll show you REAL flying."


	4. This is Berk

"Alright Toothless, let's see those toes." Tengan stifled a yawn behind her hand as she lifted the large forepaw up to her eyes, turning the digits to get a better view in the early morning rays. Releasing the Night Fury before he could sneak another lick at her fingers, she quickly sketched a few tiny details on her scroll. "I think that about does it. What do you two think?" She turned her finished sketch to the dragons, failing to keep her perch on the rotting log she had been occupying as they jostled each other to sniff at the parchment.

"Argh, alright alright! I'm glad you like it" she chuckled, shoving their heads back. "Thornado, your turn! Strike a pose."

She was so absorbed in capturing the curve of Thornado's spines the sudden voice in her ear sent her tumbling forward.

"That's a fine rendition of him, lass." Stoick smiled warmly as she scrambled to her feet, collecting the mildly crumpled parchment and charcoal slivers from last night's fire.

"Good morning Stoick!" she squeaked, eyes darting around the small clearing.. "Uh, where's Hiccup?"

"Still sleeping" the chief took one large step over the log before occupying her recently vacated perch. "He's still sleeping. Thought you would be too, seeing as we only landed a few hours ago." He patted the spot next to him as the dragons sauntered off back towards the campsite.

Tengan sighed and took the offered seat. For several moments she stared at the collection of supplies in her hand, eyes tracking a small bug crawling along the edge of a mushroom. "I couldn't sleep."

"I guessed that." Stoick shifted on the log, his bulk forcing several creaks of protest out of the wood.

"I… I woke up when Thorndao started snoring and..." she gulped "and I didn't know where I was for a moment. I had forgotten about leaving and I started looking for Mother…. Is it wrong to be homesick already? At my age?" She wiped the back of her hand vigorously against her eyes.

"The first time I sailed away on a hunt without my father I cried myself to sleep for three days." Stoick rested a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"How long was the hunting trip?" she hiccuped.

"...Three days" Stoick chuckled. "But, that was the first time I slew a Scauldron. When I brought it's head back to my Da he was so proud. Don't be ashamed of missing your home."

Tengan nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Stoick. I am really happy to be here."

Stoick patted her shoulder. "I know you are, lass."

The pair sat in silence for several moments, content to watch the slow ascent of the sun as it climbed above the distant waves.

"There's something I need to tell you." Stoick spoke with a somewhat forced tone, his eyes still fixed determinedly on the horizon. " As chief, and your host, I feel it's my duty to warn you. Since the dragons have joined us, we've seen the longest period of peace in recorded history. However, Berk is not without its enemies. Your mother knew and had no reservations when it came to your talents as a warrior, but I wanted to make it very clear that you will never be expected to put your life on the line to defend our home."

Tengan stared up at the mountain of a man for several moments, considering his words. "Stoick, sir, while I stay with you, Berk will be my home too. My people are accustomed to defending who and what we care for. In fact, I'm sure that's why Mother passed your gift onto me. I owe you a great debt in allowing me to live and learn on your shores."

A small smile lifted the corners of Stoick's beard. His hand thumped on her shoulder a couple times before he lifted himself off of the somewhat flatter log. "Why don't you go and wake up Hiccup. It's time we got going. We have a long day of flying ahead of us."

It turned out when you're on the back of a Night Fury on a bright sunny day, it was quite difficult to be homesick. Tengan had the sneaking suspicion that Stoick had mentioned their chat to Hiccup, who was doing his absolute best to show off every maneuver Toothless knew.

"Hey look at that! That's the third barrel roll where you didn't crack any of my ribs!" Hiccup winced as Tengan's grip shifted.

"S-Sorry H-i-i-ccup." Tegan laughed through chattering teeth. Despite layering every piece of cold weather clothing she owned, the biting seawind still cut her to the bone. "H-how m-m-much farther for t-t-t-today?"

"A couple more hours. Tomorrow I'll let you borrow one of my yak-wool shirts."

"T-Thanks! T-t-tomorrow we'll s-s-s-see B-Berk?"

"Yup! Tomorrow you'll get your first glance of your new home away from home!"

The following morning dawned chillier than Tengan had ever felt. Thankfully the long sleeved shirt Hiccup lent her kept most of the cold at bay. That and the several other layers she had stuffed between her body and the wool outer layer.

"Tengan, this is Berk. The archipelago's first, best, and only dragon sanctuary. Here you will find the finest group of vikings north of the Shimmering Shores." Hiccup finished his small speech with a flourish of his arm over the village as the dragons sped overhead.

Tengan could barely make out the upturned faces and cheers of greeting as they winged their way towards the center of town. The two dragons slowed to a hovered in front of a large door set in the face of a cliff.

"I'll have to fill Gobber in on a few things." Stoick hollered over the dull thud created by the dragon's wings. "Why don't you take Tengan to the Academy? Introduce her to the others?"

"Will do chief! Toothless?" Hiccup patted the dragon's neck. "What do you say? Wanna go say hi to the others?" Toothless roared joyously and spun around to face a large caged arena.

They had only closed half the distance before a chorus of clashing roars and rowdy cheers descended upon them. "Oh dear, they found us." Hiccup laughed. "Prepare to meet the best vikings Berk has to offer!"

A whirlwind of shapes and colors surrounded them, encasing Toothless and his two passengers in roars and shouts. Tegan twisted her body in ungodly positions to catch more than quick glimpses of scales and teeth.

"What you got there, Hiccup?" a somewhat gravely voice on the large green blur shouted.

"I call dibs on her!" Another voice boomed from the largest blur as it zoomed by.

"Snotlout you can't call dibs on a person!" A definitely feminine voice chided from by far the fastest blur.

"Ooooo Hiccup is she one of the knowledge seekers from the Shimmering Shores?" said a larger boy astride the only dragon moving slowly enough for Tengan to get a decent look. They both shared a wide, pleasant smile.

"Let us land and I'll introduce you!" Hiccup called out to the circling pack. With a pat he directed Toothless down and into the opening of the arena. The thud of many wing-beats followed them closely as the other dragons crowded into the area moments after. Sliding out of the saddle, he held a hand out to help Tengan down. "Guys, meet Tengan. She'll be staying with us for a while. And yes, Fishlegs, she's from the Shimmering Shores. Tengan, meet the Dragon Riders of Berk!"

"Ok, ok let me see if I have all the names straight." Tengan stood giggling in the middle of the arena roughly ten minutes later, the riders and their dragons lined up in front of her. "Hiccup and Toothless obviously." Smiling, she shifted her attention to the next pair "Astrid and Stormfly, the powerful Deadly Nadder."

Astrid nodded with a small smile as Stormfly proudly shuffled her wings. "Very good."

"Next is Fishlegs and his adorable Gronkle, Meatlug" she pointed to the two who seemed to wiggle in excitement at her answer.

"See Meatlug? She knows you're adorable too!" Fishlegs cooed as he cradled Meatlugs face in his hands.

Tengan turned her attention to the smirking boy standing directly across from her. "Snotlout and Hookfang, the impressive Monstrous Nightmare."

Snoutlout winked in response, one eyebrow cocking. "You got that right, baby."

"...Ok then." Tengan blinked in surprise before turning to the final pair. "That leaves Ruffnutt and Tuffnutt with the most interesting dragon I've ever seen, Barf and Belch the Zippleback"

"Ya hear that!" Ruff called out to the group.

"The most interesting dragon she says!" Tuff grinned, puffing out her chest.

"She only said that because she hasn't seen us in action!" Snotlout sneered as he clambered into Hookfang's saddle. "Hookfang, FLAME UP!"

With a mighty screech Hookfang spread his wings and coated his body in flames. Problem was his impressive display did not exclude the section of skin under the saddle.

Tengan wasn't sure what to be more impressed by; Hookfang's inferno, Snoutlouts high pitched scream, or his impressive three second sprint from his dragon's back to the water trough halfway across the arena.

Hiccup's voice barely reached her through the chorus of laughter. "And that's the crew. Welcome to Berk, Tengan."

The rest of the afternoon was spent trading questions back and forth with the crew. Fishlegs absolutely squealed with delight when he heard she'd be documenting all they encountered over the next two years. The twins, after realizing she came from a society of "all knowing book readers" as they put it, proceeded to pelt her with the most random line of questioning she had ever heard. She was thankful when Hiccup stopped them at "How many moles are on Tuffnutt's butt?" She wasn't quite sure if it was a cultural thing, or if Snotlout in particular was exceptionally bad at understanding personal space. If she had to venture a guess it would be the latter, as Hookfang made a point to bodily drag the boy backwards a few times.

Only Astrid seemed a bit standoffish. She would smile, ask a few polite questions, and had no reservations answering any asked of her. However, Tengan noticed that when they weren't making direct eye contact, Astrid's smile would fade and she would cast a suspicious look at her borrowed yak-hide sweater. It was a mild relief when the shadows lengthened and Toothless yawned rather loudly.

"And that's our cue. We'll catch you all tomorrow for training, alright?" Hiccup smiled, barely containing a yawn of his own. "Comeon Tengan you're bunking with us for now."

Bidding the group farewell and promising Fishlegs she'd trade more stories with him in the morning, she scrambled into the saddle. Looking back to wave once more at the group her eyes fell once again on Astrid, still wearing that look of distrust.

"Hey, Hiccup?" Tengan chewed her bottom lip, feeling a bit silly for even wondering. "Does Astrid not like me already? She seemed… upset."

"Astrid? No way. That's just how she is. Always the warrior." Hiccup chuckled nervously. "You'll see. Astrid is one of the nicest most inclusive people on the island once you get to know her!"


	5. Girl Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Now that we have finally arrived at Tengan's integration into the Riders things should pick up a bit. In my mind, she arrived relatively soon after the events of Dragon Flower which would allow her to be just in time for The Heather Report. I'm not planning on going into super detail breaking down her role in each of the episodes. Just the ones I feel are important to her character growth or her relationship with the others. This chapter will focus on some of the events in The Heather Report and, if all plays out like I think it will, we should finally be seeing Dagur for the first time in the following chapter. If you're still reading along, thanks! Let me know if there is a specific episode you really want me to flesh out.

Mornings on Berk were always cold. Too cold if you asked Tengan. More often than not she would start the day by slipping quickly out from under the covers and up against Toothless' side until the fire was banked high enough. At least mornings with the riders included lots of exercise more often than not. Between running combat drills to caring for the dragons, it was quite easy to work up a sweat before lunchtime. During the afternoons things tended to slow for her a bit when the Riders would often take off for patrol flights. Thankfully, between the Book of Dragons and Fishlegs' generous gesture of lending her his notes, Tengan was content to sit as closely as possible to the large fires in the great hall, a fan of papers spread out before her.

Before the flick of a Gronkle's tail a week had gone by. One would think it would be impossible to cause two explosions in such a short time but magically the twins had managed to destroy a cart of sheep wool and create a large crack in one of the statues in the town square. It was now customary for Tengan to duck the second she heard the telltale hiss of Barf's gas escaping. The only thing more impressive with the twin's appetite for destruction was the unflinching overconfidence of Snotlout. He had been more than happy to tell her a number of increasingly fantastical tales about himself, none of which she believed were true. Those were written on a separate scroll and may or may not have been the source of entertainment for her and Hiccup a couple nights before bed. Only Astrid still seemed distant. Despite several moments where Tengan swore they were starting to get along, the moment Hiccup joined them she'd close off again. It really was a shame, Tengan often thought, as she would have loved to spend more time with the clearly most talented warrior of the group. Pinning Snotlout during practice was only interesting the first few times.

Luckily, that opportunity arose on the wings of a very familiar Monstrous Nightmare during time trials over the sea stacks.

"Guys, come on! You're not going to believe what I found!" Snotlout called out, not even bothering to land.

"Climb up, Tegan." Hiccup held out his hand. "Might as well see what this is about."

"Actually I was hoping Astrid would take me on Stormfly!" Tengan said with a hopeful look at the blond. " I've been dying to feel the speed I've been seeing from her over the past few days."

Astrid couldn't repress the small, self satisfied smile, her recently improved time on the course still fresh in her mind. "Why not? I bet Stormfly can reach the beach before all of you even with two passengers."

Grinning, Tengan clumsily clambered up Stormfly's outstretched leg and onto her back, taking a seat behind Astrid. "Go go go go go!" She whispered through a giggle.

"Hang on!" Astrid bent low on Stormfly's neck as the Nadder leaped off the cragg and dove towards the waves,wings unfurling. By the time she leveled off, the rest of the crew had barely taken flight. As Astrid spun in the saddle to smirk at Hiccup and Toothless, a jolt of reasoning blasted into Tenga's mind. Suddenly the cold remarks and angry glance towards her borrowed sweater the first day they met made perfect sense.

Tengan chewed her bottom lip, weighing her options on the best way to approach the topic. "Hey Astrid, could I ask you for a favor?" She plowed on before the other girl could protest. "It's just that the people in my tribe are allowed to court while traveling, it's actually encouraged. But the problem is that there are no guys here on Berk that really catch my eye. Don't get me wrong! They're all great to hang out with, they're just not my type. So I was wondering if maybe one day we could have a girl's only trip? Maybe to nearby islands?"

Astrids's shoulders, which initially tensed at each word, relaxed considerably as she grasped her meaning. "I mean, if you're into that sort of thing, sure. There's not a lot of options nearby but Stormfly and I can take you out one of these days."

Tengan smiled. She considered telling Astrid that Hiccup became a stuttering mess whenever she was mentioned but decided to hold off for now. There would be plenty of time to bond and tease after they examined whatever it was that Snotlout had found.

Tengan would not have bet even her worst quill on the "interesting thing" being another human. Let alone a young girl orphaned by pirates. She was so enthralled with Heather's story that she almost didn't catch Asrid's mumble of "Yeah right, I don't believe her for a second." A cold tightness gripped Tengan's gut. She had just started getting along with the Nadder trainer. What if Astrid had been saying similar things about her to the others during those long afternoons? It was almost a relief when Hiccup turned to speak with her.

"Would you mind sharing my room with Heather? It will be a bit cramped but…" Hiccup shrugged awkwardly.

"Why doesn't Heather stay somewhere else since you already have a houseguest?" Astrid spoke sharply, her eyes narrowing.

"I really don't mind moving somewhere else for a bit." Tengan spoke quietly, trying to diffuse the all too inevitable situation that was rapidly escalating.

"You ladies can always stay with me. Plenty of room at the Snot's Inn…" Snotlout smirked as he leaned on Hookfang's shoulder.

"No that is definitely not happening, Snotlout." Hiccup glared at the larger teen. "Heather can stay with me and Tengan-"

"Will bunk with me for a bit." Astrid cut in before the twins could do more than open their mouths. "My parents have the extra bunk they keep for my uncle."

Tengan nodded, smiling. No way Astrid would let her stay if she thought she was untrustworthy, right? "Thank you Astrid, that sounds great."

Thinking back, Tengan wondered if it would have been less uncomfortable if she had taken Snotlout up on his offer. The next couple evenings saw her bombarded with numerous questions from Astrid about Heather. Luckily most did not require an answer as they were along the lines of "Who does she think she is?" and "I'm not crazy to think she's suspicious right?". Tengan nodded along to most of these rants, trying to ignore the writhing snakes that seemed to have moved into where her intestines had been. While she was relieved Astrid had finally stopped seeing her as a rival, she was not enjoying taking part in gossiping about the newest addition to the group seeing as she was only Heather's senior by just over a week. Especially since she had a sneaking suspicion that most of Asrtrid's protests were due to the amount of attention Hiccup had been lavishing on the castaway. That was, until the pair walked over to Hiccup's house so Tengan could cross reference some of her notes against the Book of Dragons' chapter on Deadly Nadders. Trouble was, Heather was already pouring over it.

"What are you doing with that!" Snapped Astrid as she yanked the book from Heather's arms.

"Astrid, calm down!" Hiccup cried as he raced over to the three girls.

"She's trying to steal all of our dragon secrets!" Astrid cried, shielding the book from Heather.

"I'm sorry I took your book. It was wrong of me, I should have asked first." Heather spoke softly, head hung in apparent shame.

"Astrid, enough alright! You said the same thing about Tengan her first night here!" Hiccup glared at the blond and tugged the book back from her.

"You what?" Tengan asked quietly, her heart sinking a bit as she and Heather made brief eye contact. Both faces mirrored equal measures of discomfort with the situation.

"It's not the same! I was wrong about you Tengan, and you always ask to borrow the book. You don't go stealing things from other people and sneaking around at night!" Astrid waved her off with one hand while glaring daggers at Heather.

Tengan's hearing was replaced by a mild buzzing in her ears as the other three continued to argue. Astrid had said she was just there to steal secrets? Is that why she wanted her to stay over the last few days? To keep an eye on her? And she had been dumb enough to think that Astrid had wanted to build a friendship? Without looking at the others, Tengan turned tail and walked quietly out of the house, heading towards the great hall, papers in hand. Her notes were overdo to be condensed and transcribed into one of her journals anyway. The buzzing all but drowned out Hiccup's attempts to call her back.

"TENGAN!" He reached out towards her before thinking better of it and letting his arm drop to his side. "I hope you're proud of yourself, Astrid." He stated flatly.

Tengan made a point to arrive back at Astrid's after they all had gone to bed. It seemed pointless to have a conversation with someone who thought her untrustworthy at the moment anyway. Early the next morning she slipped out the door and stayed out all day, jotting down tales she collected from other villagers and only returning well after the stars had taken their place in the sky and everyone else was fast asleep. She had planned on doing the same thing again the following morning but was awoken by a very desperate Astrid.

"Tengan, I need your help! Heather stole Stormfly! She's got my dragon!" Astrid all but screamed as she shook her by the shoulders.

Any animosity Tengan felt towards her melted away when she saw Astrid's terrified expression. Within moments they had collected the crew and divided up responsibilities. Apparently during Tengans self induced exile Astrid had spotted Heather speaking with someone from an opposing force based in Outcast Island. The other riders would follow the most likely flight paths Heather could have taken towards the island while Tengan stayed behind to distract Stoick from realizing their absence.

Turns out that Stoick was holding an open town hall to hear all the complaints of his residents. While Tengan knew she would kick herself for not being present to record such an interesting bit of life on Berk, she found herself unable to concentrate on anything other than pacing the shore near where they left, eyes trained on the horizon. Her relief upon seeing the group return was short lived as they informed her of the loss of the book.

"It's awful!" Fishlegs cried, collapsing forward on Meatlug's back. "Alvin is bound to learn all of our dragon secrets now!"

"I say we lock her up until we get some answers!" Snotlout yelled. He seemed particularly disgruntled upon learning the apparent interest from Heather had been staged from the start.

It took a surprisingly short period of time for the normally somewhat disjointed group to decide on a plan for search and retrieval of the book. None of them were particularly happy with the thought of sending Astrid undercover but it seemed like the only logical choice.

"Now we just need someone to stay behind to watch Heather." Hiccup sighed, glancing over his team to see who could be spared.

"I'll watch her." Tengan spoke up, desperate to show that she still had her new friend's best interest at heart.

"How do we know YOU aren't working for Alvin too, huh?" Tuffnutt advanced on her, one finger poking into the center of her chest. Behind him, Ruff nodded enthusiastically, reaching for what looked like a dagger hilt.

"Because I say she can be trusted!" Astrid shoved her way between them, glaring the twins down. " And if you two muttonheads disagree you'll have to answer to me!"

Tengan fought back the misty feeling threatening to pool into her eyes. Whether from frustration at being accused or relief that Astrid finally seemed to be accepting her, she could not tell. "You guys are my family for the next couple years. I'd never betray you. Besides you'll need all available riders for this to work safely. I'll watch Heather and keep Stoick occupied. Just hurry back ok?"

Hiccup nodded once before climbing into Toothless' saddle. "Thank you, Tengan. We'll be back soon."

Heather was, without a doubt, the most gifted actress Tengan had ever seen. If she had been back on the Shimmering Shores, Tengan thought she would make a wonderful dramatic reader for festivals. Her story of her parents being alive and being held captive was almost believable.

"Heather, please, save it." Tengan sighed as she poked her head out to scan for Stoick or Gobber. "I can't believe you would take advantage of these people. They care for the dragons that live here. And you're working with the person trying to destroy everything."

"I told you already, he has my parents!" Heather rattled the bars before resting her head against them. "And I'm not sure why you even care. Astrid didn't even trust you until twelve hours ago."

"They promised to take me in and treat me like one of their own for two years. They've made me one of their family. Like they did for you." Tengan spared her a reproachful glance before returning her attention to the path from the village.

"Oh really? Then why do they always leave you behind?" Heather snapped.

Tengan opened her mouth to retort when an echoing roar shook the room followed by the dull thud of Thornado's feet making contact with the hard packed earth.

"There you are lass! Was wondering where you all got off to today!" Stoick boomed as he spotted Tengan.

"Stoick!" Tengan squeaked. "I was just looking for you! I wanted to ask you to help me decipher the legends on the tapestries in the great hall!" She jogged past the chief and beckoned to the center of town, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Thankfully, Stoick had a vast well of knowledge surrounding the several unfortunate vikings whose grisly ends had been immortalized in the woven yak wool. After the third story she managed to slip away under the pretense of needing more paper for note taking. She snuck her way back to the makeshift cell to find it… empty. "Shit."

Thinking back on that day later on, Tengan had no idea how she managed to keep Stoick in the dark until the crew came sailing back just before sunset with Heather and her parents in tow. It turns out her second story was actually the real one and it was only with minimal glares of disappointment from Stoick that the newly reunited family was outfitted with a small ship and enough supplies to get them on their way.

"Ok so how exactly did you convince that Monstrous Nightmare to come back for you?" Tengan asked behind a pile of parchment, eyes glowing in the firelight as she jotted down every little detail she could coax form the teens.

"Ugh, we've gone over it like a million times already!" Groaned Ruffnut as she threw her head back.

"Yeah, T" Tuff smirked knowingly, his chin propped on his hand. "I guess you kinda had to be there."

Tengans smile stiffened a bit, her quill pausing mid sentence as Heather's comment rang in her head once more. "..Yeah Tuff. Guess I should have been there."

"I mean," he continued, chuckling. "It's not like it did you any good to stay back. Heather still got out and around you somehow!"

"Tuff, enough!" Snapped Astrid as her eyes flicked between Tengan and the twins. "It's not her fault we left her with guard and Stoick duty."

"Thank you" Tengan mouthed silently to Astrid as she returned to her notes.


	6. A Deranged Meeting

The next few weeks were a blur of dragons and notes. Tengan had decided to remain an extended houseguest of Astrids after the two had bonded. Honestly, between the guilt of taking up Hiccup's bed and the combined snoring of two dragons in the loft, she had been sleeping a lot better while bunking with the Nadder trainer. Not that a couple extra hours here and there were making a world a difference. Either she had landed on Berk during an unusually busy month or the island never seemed to catch a break. Between mass lightning strikes, a two day long festival of games, and a rogue dragon carving a network of tunnels right under their feet, the prospect of a morning consisting of nothing but flight maneuvers seemed like vacation to her sore muscles.

"Ok Tengan, up or down?" Astrid called from behind her in the saddle. Tengan sat low over Stormfly's neck, rapidly weighing her options as the half fallen log came into view. There appeared to be more space above the log than below at first glance, but the thick canopy could scrape the two of them off Stromfly's back. On the other hand, going low meant they would have to lay almost flat, but as long as the Nadder tucked her wings…..

"Down!" Tengan cried and flattened herself in a silent nudge to the dragon beneath her. Astrid followed suit.

With a roar, Stormfly tipped downwards, slamming her wings tight against her body. The trio breezed under the log and surged upward immediately afterwards. Stormfly lazily circled overhead, head jerking slightly to keep the rest of the crew still flying beneath within her sights.

"That was perfect Tengan!" Astrid cried out, thumping the beginner in the shoulder blade with her fist. "I thought for sure you were going to scrape us against the trees."

Tengan rubbed circles into Stromfly's hide with both hands in silent appreciation for the dragon's trust. "Seriously? I've seen the two of you squeeze through way tricker spots than that. Do you really think so little of me?" She teased, twisting in the saddle to smile at Astrid.

"Knock it off," Astrid chuckled, punching the other girl a second time. "Let's see if the others can squeeze through."

As expected, Hiccup and Toothless slipped through with no issues. Also as expected, Snotlout panicked at the tight squeeze and yanked Hookfang upwards at the last moment, earning himself a helmet full of branches. It looked like Fishlegs would have made it, if it hadn't been for the twins. Both had directed Barf and Belch in conflicting directions, leading to a classic dragon-viking pileup in the thicket. Before anyone could extract Fishlegs, he had executed a complex series of hand signals that Meatlug clearly understood as she circled back around and had him free before anyone else could approach.

"Fishlegs, that was amazing!" Hiccup called.

"Meatlug and I were just working on some rudimentary hand signals-" Fishlegs began explaining. Although, Tengan lost the rest of the conversation as Astrid whispered in her ear.

"Bet you stall cleaning duty we fly back to the academy to start practicing that in the next twenty minutes."

"No way I'm taking that bet. Hiccup's got that gleam in his eye again. Besides, it'll be more like ten minutes." Tengan whispered back.

No less than fifteen minutes later, although it would have been under ten if they didn't have to untangle the twins from Barf and Belch's almost knotted heads, the team had landed in the arena and he began working on hand signals. Tengan sat out at the beginning as she jotted down the inspiration for the training techniques as well as any pertinent information she had recalled on the subject of nonverbal cues from books she had read back home. After a while, it seemed Snotlout was having a bit of trouble working on directing the focus of Hookfang's signals so she paired up with the shorter viking with only mild trepidation. At Tengan's suggestion, they decided to teach Hookfang to lift and retrieve objects they pointed out. Unfortunately, Snotlout quickly figured out he could direct Hookfang to lift people off the ground too.

"ARGHH! Snotlout! Again?!" Tengan twisted in Hookfang's talons to glare at the smirking viking.

"Hey he can't help it! You know how it goes. Dragons kidnap princess and" He propped his foot up on an overturned weapon's barrel, puffing his chest out. "knights in shining armor come to their rescue!"

Tengans retort died in her throat as the twins began shouting at each other. Usually the disagreement died out after a couple quips and harsh swings but, today, it just continued to grow in intensity and animosity as they quite literally butted heads over who would command the Zippleback. Before anyone could do more than glance awkwardly at each other the two stormed off in opposing directions with poor Barf and Belch straining to follow their respective charges. In their wake, Stoick swooped in atop Thornado, landing at the entrance.

"Son, I've received word that Oswald and the Berserker tribe will be landing tomorrow for the annual treaty signing. While we are all content with the presence of dragons here on Berk, they could be seen as an act of aggression to others. I'd like you to temporarily relocate them to the far side of the island until the treaty is signed." Stoick's tone left no wiggle room for pleas or negotiation.

Tengans eyes glittered as she wiggled free from Hookfangs claws. "Cheif! Did you say another tribe would be visiting tomorrow? Do you think they-"

Stoick cut her off with a deep laugh as he dismounted. "Aye, their chief would be happy to answer all your questions. He isn't called Oswald the agreeable for nothing." He patted Thornado's side. "Now you lot get these dragons out of sight. I've got some last minute preparations to make with Gobber."

In hindsight, it really was too much to hope for an easy day. The rest of the morning and the entire afternoon saw Tengan helping the riders, sans the apparently still furious twins, round up every last dragon on the island and herding them to the deserted shore. Tengan was so exhausted she hadn't even noticed she technically flew her first solo flight when Astrid leapt off Stormfly to control a rebelling Monstrous Nightmare until Fishlegs pointed it out with a joyous giggle. By the time they all retired for the evening, she barely had enough stamina left to jot down a dozen sentences of the day's events before falling into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning saw the crew, numbers still reduced by the absent twins, sore and yawning at the docks, staring hazily at the slowly approaching telltale blob of ships on the horizon. Tengan lazily held several scrolls to her chest, eyes fighting to bring Hiccup into focus.

"Are you sure Oswald won't mind?" She asked, stifling her fifth or seventh yawn, she had lost count, behind her clutch of papers.

"Oh yeah," Hiccup replied dully. "Oswald's awesome. I just hope he hasn't brought that lunatic of a son with him this year."

"Dagur?" Snotlout brightened. "That guy's awesome!"

"Are you kidding?!" Fishlegs reeled with revulsion " He's a lunatic! Last time he was here he force fed me rotten cod heads."

Hiccup, Astrid, and Tengan flinched in unison as Snotlout cackled. "Oh yeah, I had almost forgotten that!"

"Is he really all that bad?" Tengan whispered out the side of her mouth.

"Worse." confirmed Astrid. "He's used Hiccup as a knife throwing target, twice. Luckily his aim wasn't the best."

Hiccup ran his fingers along his scalp, stopping a couple inches from the crest of his forehead. "Yup. Still have the scar. At least his father is tolerable. I shudder to think of the day Dagur becomes the Berserker chief. Hopefully not for another couple decades."

Tengan shifted. "I'm more worried about the twins. We still haven't found them and Barf and Belch won't leave without them."

Hiccup groaned under his breath. "I know. But once they're here I won't have a lot of opportunities to go find them."

Tengan glanced between the approaching ship and Hiccup's anxious face. "Look, once you introduce us I can probably keep them from noticing your absence for at least an hour that should be enough time to hide Barf and Belch… where's Toothless by the way?"

"I asked him to stay in the house today. He doesn't like it but I don't think he'll come charging out anytime soon." Hiccup shrugged, puffy eyes still focused on the approaching boats.

"...How many fish did you leave with him?" Tengan smirked.

"Nearly four hundred. I've been up since before dawn catching them."

"Should we start calling him a Night Fatty instead?" Tengan whispered, causing Astrid and Hiccup to dissolve into giggles with her.

"Comeon you three" Gobber chastised, "Show some respect for the Berserker tribe, They're one of our oldest allies you know."

"Yes, Gobber" Tengan bowed her head to hide her guilty smile as Hiccup and Astrid looked away, the former coughing to hide a chuckle.

Within an hour, the gangplank of the lead ship thudded over the rail, revealing a large viking standing on the precipice. He thudded the butt of a spear on the wood, commanding attention. "Presenting the high chief of the Berserker tribe! Cracker of skulls! Slayer of beasts! Dagur the Deranged!"

The announcer stepped aside, revealing a boy who seemed a couple years older than the riders and of similar age to Tengan. Before she could register little more than the horned helmet atop his head, Dagur had launched a throwing knife, sneering in satisfaction as the blade embedded itself in a wooden post right behind the space where the top of Hiccup's head had been located less than a second ago.

Shaking off the adrenaline, Tengan hissed feverently in Hiccup's ear as Stoick approached the boy chief. "I thought his father was leading them?"

"He is?" Hiccup hissed back. "Or was at least. I don't know!"

"This is bad." Astrid remarked, her eyes narrowing as Stoick's expression grew taunt through his exchange with Dagur.

"I need time to find the twins before Dagus finds their dragon." Hiccup was speaking very quickly, his hands bunching his tunic. "Tengan, can you keep him distracted as discussed?"

"I can try" she responded, eyeing the teen with ill-masked distaste.

"Hiccup!" Dagur announced, shunting Stoick away to strut towards their small gathering.

"Dagur!" Hiccup cried out with forced enthusiasm. "It's been ages! Hey, remember when you tried to drown me?"

Dagur laughed, a sound that sent waves of unease coursing through the other teens. "Oh the laughs we shared. Bored again!" he retorted briskly before his eyes landed on Tengan. "Hello, who is this? And why is she so…..dark?"

While Tengan was deciding whether or not she was offended by his remark Hiccup cut back into the conversation. "This is Tengan! She is our guest from the Shimmering Shores." He elbowed the mentioned girl in the ribs in a silent plea to keep the peace.

"Ouch!" she hissed before fixing her expression to be something she hoped resembled awe and interest. "Yes! I'm here to learn more about the viking way of life. My task is to collect stories of the...uh… bravest and most daring warriors. Surely you, Dagur, chief of the mighty Berserkers, have a few tales that would thrill my people." She ended her small speech with an attempt at a smile, forcing her gaze to remain locked on the teen before her. She was well aware that even without the towering horns adorning his head hat he still had at least a few inches on her.

Her act was soon rewarded with a greedy, overconfident smirk as Dagus snaked his arm over her shoulders. It felt more like a grab at a new possession than a friendly gesture, one she willed herself to accept without complaint.

"Of course I do!" Dague crowed, leaning in much too closely for comfort. "Come, I'll tell you how best to educate your people on the 'mighty Berserker tribe' as you so perfectly called us." He laughed, jostling her about in the process and almost dislodging her papers. "Once I'm through you'll want to erect a statue in my honor!" He turned towards the island, tugging her with him. "Lead on Stoick! I haven't got all day. To the armory!"

Tengan twisted a bit to glance over her shoulder just in time to see Gobber restrain Stoick from grabbing his sword. Simultaneously, Hiccup mouthed "I'm so sorry!" before scampering off in search of the twins. A sharp tug and throat clean from Dagur brought her attention back and she made haste to unroll a piece of scrap paper to jot down a few notes as he began with "The glory of my tribe only began to blossom after my birth!" She had a sneaking feeling it would be another long day.

Her suspicions proved correct as the tour of the island wore on through the late morning. No matter what they stopped to look at , it seemed Dagur had an anecdote as to how the same item, building, or process was better on the Isle of the Berserkers. Apparently, even the eggs produced by their chickens were superior. Tengan could have praised Stoick for suggesting a break to eat in the great hall, until Dagur literally pulled her down onto the bench next to him. She was so unprepared for the motion she nearly landed in his lap, the stumble earning her a cocky smirk from the fiery haired lad.

"Please tell me you found the twins" she moaned miserably towards Hiccup as he clambered into the empty seat on her opposing side.

"I'm working on it." he sighed. "Snotlout thinks he knows a place where they would go. Just keep him occupied for a bit longer"

Tengan groaned quietly, fighting the urge to bang her head against the stone tabletop. "Hurry, Hiccup. He's starting hinting I should come back with him to Berserker Isle 'To properly learn and write about his glory.' He actually said that!"

"Alright, we'll find the twins and get him off your back. I promise."

"Good. Now go find them before-" The rest of her sentence cut off as Barf and Belch trumpeted their arrival, thundering into the Great Hall. She had only a moment to register what had happened before Dagur was shaking her by the shoulders.

"A Zippleback!" He cried in absolute delight. "Excellent! It's a sign! A head for each chief!" He cried out to his men scattered amongst the table before turning to Tengan. "Now you will get to see how a real viking handles dragons!" His teeth were bared in a fierce approximation of a grin. "Bring a fresh scroll Tengan and prepare to sing my praises!"

Tengan smiled shakily before speaking out of the corner of her mouth just loudly for Hiccup to catch her words. "Find them. Now."

It took less time than Tengan had hoped for Dagur to track and capture Barf and Belch. Only Stoick's quick thinking to bring them to the arena before killing them bought them a bit more time. Even her attempts to distract Dagur with questions was becoming ineffective, as the viking seemed to drown out all other thoughts than the beheading and blood-letting of poor Barf and Belch. Once they reached the area all stalling techniques had run dry. With Hiccup still nowhere to be found and Dagur bearing down on the restrained dragon, she could only watch helplessly as Stoick made to draw his weapon in defense of one of the scaly residents of Berk that had come to depend on him.

Just before the chief's sword swung down to end Dagur's bloodlust now and forever, Hiccup came barreling into the arena, barely continuing a smile as several of the rider's dragons clambered in after him. "Dragon attack!" he all but cheered the phrase as Hookfang began to descend, claw over claw, down the chain dangling into the center of the arena.

Tengan feared his jovial tone would alert the Berserkers of the ruse but a quick glance at Dagur's horrified expression eased her fears. Fighting the urge to giggle she scrambled and began to dodge all of the "attacks" aimed her way. Once or twice she managed to catch the subtle hand movements of the trainers and nearly doubled over laughing as Meatlug flattened a particularly burly viking in an attempt to hug him. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't seem to shake Dagur and Hiccup in the fray. Wherever she sidestepped, the two seemed to be forced into her, knocking her into tables and weapons racks on more than one occasion.

A sharp whistle caught her attention, as Snotlout, grinning from ear to ear, mimed the hand signal he had used with Hookfang to harass her the day before.

Catching on, Tengan waved her arms frantically in the air while backed against a stall door behind the boys to call the Monstrous Nightmare's attention to her. As soon as his head swiveled around, she mimed the "pick up" cue and patted her chest twice to indicate herself as the target.

Hiccup, noticing the change in Hookfang's attention, abruptly grabbed Dagur and slammed him onto the floor less than a second before the dragon was upon them.

Tengan held her arms out to either side and screamed as Hookfang made off with her, the sound diminishing to a giggle as he winged out of the arena and climbed dozens of feet into the air. With a quick flip, Hookfang tossed her onto his back, rumbling low in his throat as she rubbed his neck in appreciation. "Who's the smartest kidnapping dragon on the whole island!" she cooed. "You are! Yes it's you!"

Hookfang angled away from the chaos and lazily floated on updrafts as he glided towards the far side of the island.

Tengan glanced back at the diminishing cloud of smoke over the village. "Why don't we wait a bit before we head back?" She tickled behind his horn as he spoke. "You've more than earned a few smoked salmon and I know the perfect stream pen to nab a few." She giggled again as Hookfang rumbled in his chest and allowed her to tilt his head in the direction of the mentioned stream. Snoutlout could wait an hour or so to have his dragon back after all.

The pair returned just after dusk, gliding back into the arena where the remainder of the riders, including the reunited twins, sat laughing over the flames. A cheer and raised mutton legs rang from the group as she dismounted and Hookfang crawled over to his boy, unceremoniously stealing the meat right from his boy's outstretched hand. Tengan laughed with the others and pulled out her notes to finish compiling the day's events as the others filled her in.

"T-Tell me again how fast they ran!" Tengan struggled to form the words through fits of laughter. She fell back against Barf and Belch's hindquarters, smiling into the firelight.

"More like blasted away," Tuffnut exclaimed. "That last one knocked them halfway to the ships, right Belch?"

The aforementioned dragon's head curved down into the glow of the fire and asserted Tuff's claim with a loud roar.

Tengan flinched at the noise but her smile held. "I'm glad you're all together again. They weren't the same without you two." She patted Ruffnut's shoulder affectionately. "Good thing too, because I am never going to spend another moment in that lout's company again, no matter what the reason! It took a dragon abduction to get away from him!"

Another round of laughter from the teens filled the night air, accompanied by the coos and growls of agreement from the dragons lounging behind their partners.

Snotlout was the first to recover. "Yeah, but maybe get your own dragon next time! You were supposed to borrow the Fangster, not run off with him!"

The laughter trailed off almost instantly as Astrid shot him a look and hissed "Snotlout!" Hiccup and Fishlegs stared openly at Tengan, their expressions almost too understanding. Even the twins exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"No, it's alright. Really." Tengan attempted to smile but the muscles in her face felt unusually heavy. She could only manage a feeble twitch of the lips before standing. "It's getting late. I'm going to start heading back."

"Tengan, please stay. We'll give you a ride back later." Hiccup started to reach towards her but, thinking better of it, let his hand flop to his side.

"Yeah, don;t let this muttonhead get to you." Astrid added sharply, digging her elbows into Snotlout's ribs.

As Snotlout yelped from the unexpected pressure, Tengan shook her head once more. "Nah, I wouldn't want to sleep in tomorrow morning…. Since you all are heading out for early patrol Gobber is going to take me to Gothi's to study the island's medicinal herbs."

As she turned her back to the group, Hiccup made a final stab at comfort. "You know all of us are happy you're here with us Tengan…. You're part of the group." he added lamely as Fishlegs made a weak murmur of agreement.

Tengans shoulder's tightened as she kept her back to the fire. "...Goodnight guys." She fought to keep her voice even before heading off in the dark on the long winding path back to the village.

As soon as she was out of earshot, all remaining eyes, dragon and human, turned on Snotlout.

"What!" the targeted teen demanded, crossing his arms across his chest. "Now I'm the bad viking for pointing out the obvious?"

"Yep." the twins responded in unison.

"How was I supposed to know she'd get all mopey?!" Snotlout protested. "Girls are weird."

"Well, actually it's pretty easy to figure out." Fishlegs asserted in a tone usually reserved for lectures on newly discovered dragon secrets. "First, remember she's here all alone. Away from her entire family. Secondly, we do tend to leave her alone for most of the day whenever we're not training close by."

"And think about what we're doing when we're all together." Astrid cut in. "Bonding with our dragons and letting her tag along when it's convenient." She rubbed Stormfly's jaw for emphasis, her brow furrowed.

"And to top it all off, even when she does get a chance to work with us it's always to help with our dragons. She doesn't have one to bond with." Hiccup finished, eyes downcast.

"If one girl could feel all that she'd die of loneliness." Tuffnut concluded, throwing himself backward against his dragon's side for emphasis and earning an eye roll from his twin for his theatrics.

Snotlout huddled himself deeper into his grumpy slouch. "Well then mister Dragon Master, why don't you find her a dragon if she's so lonely!" he nearly shouted across the campfire.

Hiccup stared at Snotlout for a moment, gears almost audibly turning in his head. "You know what, Snotlout, that's a great idea!"

"Of course it is." Snotlout snapped from across the circle, oblivious to the grins on the other's faces.


	7. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I struggled with writer's block while writing this chapter. Hopefully things will begin to flow more easily starting with Chapter 8. We welcome Dagur back next chapter as well!

"Astrid?" Tengan mumbled up at the vaguely blond blur through sleep filled eyes. "What's going on? Don't you have flight patrol this morning?" She sat up slowly, pausing here and there to stretch out a particularly stiff limb.

"Yup!" Astrid replied with way too much enthusiasm for the current time of day as she yanked the blanket off Tengan's bed. "And I need to see you off before I go!"

"Ah! You brat!" Tengan screched as the chilly morning air hit her. She made several desperate but futile grabs at the stolen blanket. "What do you mean? I'm studying with Gothi today. AFTER you all head out. I still have a couple hours." She whined, still pawing at the rapidly cooling bed cover.

"Nope! Wrong. It's all been handled. Now get up!" with a devious smirk, Astrid rolled her protesting house guest onto the floor.

Tengan bounced up, torn between frustration at being so rudely awoken and lamenting the loss of her warm bed. "Will you just tell me what's going on?" She snapped.

"Why don't you go outside and see for yourself?" Astrid maintained that infuriating smirk as she crossed her arms.

Tengan, eyes narrowed, stomped across the large living room , past her bed and makeshift nightstand of an old stump, before wrenching the front door open. Hiccup and Toothless sat in front of the house, the latter's outline wavering in the still mostly dark sky. "What are you two doing here?"

Toothless, roaring his delight, all but squashed the girl under his fore paws as he raked his tongue up her face and into the wild mass of tangled, curly hair. Hiccup had to spend several moments wrestling with his partner before the dragon would back off. Smiling apologetically, he gave the much stickier Tengan a hand up. "Sorry about that, he's just excited we'll be taking a trip to Dragon Island."

"And this is why you two woke me up?" Tengan asked, bewildered. She glanced between the two teens as her fingers automatically found their way to the dry patches behind Toothless' ears. "To see you off to Dragon Island? Don't you go often?"

Hiccup laughed. "No, you don't understand. Last night I realized as leader of the Dragon Training Academy I had been neglecting something, or more accurately, someone. You've been a rider in all but name sine, well, basically since you landed here. It's way past time we found you your own dragon, Tengan."

Tengans fingers froze mid-scratch, much to Toothless' displeasure. "I- you- what?"

Astrid nudged her in the ribs. "Go on! Go find your dragon!"

Hiccup swung into the saddle, reaching back to pat the patch of worn leather behind him. "You ready?"

Not trusting her voice to form any kind of coherent worlds at the moment, Tengan pulled Astrid into a tight hug for several seconds before scrambling up into the saddle behind Hiccup. Wrestling the feelings of anxiety and euphoria, she made an attempt to speak once they were winging out over the ocean. "Hiccup, I've been thinking a lot and, if possible, I'd like to try to bond with a Deadly Nadder."

"Yeah, I figured. Snotlout is going to be mighty disappointed. He has this grand idea about you flying back on a female Monstrous Nightmare." Hiccup chuckled.

The island came into view shortly after dawn. Within a seconds of Toothless' feet touching sand, they had to take off and circle back to another clearing after a Gronkle charged the trio with an uncharacteristically savage roar.

"Woah, ok, he was having a bad day. Let's see if we can find that flock of Nadders that usually beds down by the stream." Hiccup continuously glanced over his shoulder as he spoke, eager to put some distance between themselves and the grumpy boulder class dragon.

They landed a little ways away from the Nadder's streamside territory at Tengan's request. "It's possible Toothless set off the Gronkle. I don't want anything to spook these guys." She whispered as they slid out of the saddle.

"Good point. Bud, you stay here. We'll be right back." Hiccup pushed Toothless' chest back, urging the reluctant dragon to stay put. "Alright, Tengan. Lead the way! Remember to stay in the blind spot and-"

Tengan giggled quietly. "I know Hiccup. You forget I've read the Book of Dragons almost as many times as Fishlegs has." She crept forward, eyes scanning the flock. A purple Nadder with pale yellow and baby blue markings caught her eye as it forced itself in between two quarreling adolescents before curling up at the edge of the group, it's head rapidly twitching to keep the entire group in its field of vision.

"That's the one?" Hiccup whispered in her ear, eyes locking on to the same Nadder.

"I think so. She's more observant than the others. Almost like-"

"She's taking notes on them?" Hiccup stifled a laugh. "Yeah that sounds perfect for you. Go on, I'll be right behind you."

Tengan nodded and carefully left the underbrush, making enough noise to not startle them but not so much as to come off aggressive. She was well aware of Hiccup trailing closely behind, staying in a half-crouch. "Hey there girl." Tengan spoke softly and evenly, eyes locked on the observant Nadder.

The sound of her voice seemed to set off an explosion within the flock. Every Nadder spun on the spot to face the humans. Several sent spines flying without a moment's hesitation and only the teen's quick reflexes from hours of training let them scamper behind the nearest tree trunks quickly enough to avoid impalement.

Toothless leapt from the cover of his brush, wings half furled to shield the two teens behind his bulk. His maw gaped, teeth retracted, and the telltale whistle of plasma heating in the back of his throat filled the clearing.

"Toothless wait!" Hiccup cried as he tried to navigate the mass of spines pinning Tengan and himself behind the foliage.

The Nadders decided either the teens weren't worth pursuing or that a Night Fury was too much hassle. Either way, they took off and fled the clearing, the purple one taking an additional moment to growl a final warning at Toothless before following the flock.

Several moments passed where Tengan clumsily removed the embedded barbs from the bark nearest her with trembling fingers, pausing to place the more colorful ones in her bag for later examination. "What was all that about?" She asked in a shaky voice.

Hiccup, who had just wound himself out of the barbs, hurriedly adjusted the straps on Toothless' saddle, making several quick glances towards the sky. "I don't know. But it's too dangerous to keep trying today. I've never seen the dragons on this island so aggressive. We're heading back." He swung himself in the saddle before looking down at the still slightly shaken girl.

Tengan's eyes tracked from the spine in her hand to the now empty clearing before settling on the boys. A small forced smile fixed on her face, she climbed into the saddle. "Looks like Snotlout isn't the only one who is going to be dissapointed today." She fell silent as Toothless rapidly took flight, fighting the hard lump in her throat. "You don't think the aggression has something to do with me?" She blinked rapidly. Suddenly the world had become annoyingly blurry.

"No, Tengan. It's not you. Today just wasn't the day. I promise we'll keep searching." Hiccup snuck a quick glance at her out the corner of his eye. "...Let's take the long way back. Toothless and I have been working on a few aerial maneuvers we've been dying to show you."

Tengan was hard pressed to admit It's pretty hard to stay upset when performing tight rolls, dives, and flips on dragon back. Hiccup's promise securely locked in her mind and heart, she was able to fill the rest of the gang in on their misadventure with dry eyes. She even found herself lost in comparing notes with Fishlegs on how and why the normally indifferent wild dragons had become so unexpectedly hostile. She went to bed that night going over which islands she wanted to visit, mentally rearranging the list of possible places to look dozens of times until she drifted off. Her dreams consisted of inky dragons rearranging letters and small pictures of islands on a large piece of parchment before her.

It seemed, Tengan mused a couple weeks later, hunched over in Gothi's hut while the medical woman worked, that she and Hiccup had different ideas on what "searching" meant when it came to finding her a dragon. Every time she had asked when they would go out again, Hiccup would only reply with "soon" or something frustratingly similar before turning back to tinker on a new piece of equipment or take off to lead another patrol. The last time he quite literally blew her off with a buffet of Toothless' wings, she had been so mad she had asked Gobber to set her up with nothing but lessons from Gothi for a few days, hoping the new subject would quell the uncomfortable mix of anger and disappointment that seemed to have permanently settled in her chest.

As interesting as the medical woman and her unique method of communication was, Tengan still found herself she had almost dropped the vial Gothi handed her, earning her a few well deserved lumps on the head from the elder's staff. The pain in her scalp seemed to only exacerbate the pain in her heart. So when Astrid all but demanded she join them the next morning for hand to hand combat practice, Tengan agreed readily, eager for a way to physically release her stress.

Unfortunately for both her and the boys, minus an absent Fishlegs, slamming them into the stone floor did little to ease Tengan's frustrations. While Snotlout held out a bit longer due to his lower center of gravity, none of the boys were used to her people's fighting style and were readily caught off guard. Wisely, Gobber avoided pairing her with Astrid after Ruffnut flat out refused the matchup altogether. Before she could demand a third round with Hiccup, Fishlegs interrupted the proceedings with a display of-

"The stone of good fortune!" Gobber cried out in awe as the teens crowded around to gaze at the glowing, oblong object.

Tengan's eyes widened then narrowed as the excited chatter seemed to ebb away. The stone looked very familiar to her. Eerily similar to an egg she had seen in the Book of Dragons during those long solitary hours reading in the Great Hall. If it really was an egg, she thought, it would probably be best to let Fishlegs know so he could return it.

'Or', another voice quietly echoed through her mind, 'You could stay quiet. Once it hatches it'll need someone to look after it. And the others will be too busy. You'll have to raise it. I mean, Hiccup promised you'd have a dragon to partner with but he's been too busy to help you.'

Before either half of her could decide what to do the group had shuffled out of the arena and back towards the heart of town, Snotlout dogging Fishles' heels in an attempt to convince the boy to part with his newly found treasure. Tengan followed at a distance, still weighing the pros and cons of speaking up as she started the lengthy ascent to Gothi's hut. As sore she was from sparring, she was loath to earn any more lumps for something as preventable as tardiness. As her calves began to burn at the steepest part of the climb, that same whispering voice drifted through her mind once more. 'Won't this trek be so much easier once the dragon is fully grown?'

Tengan spent the next couple days mentally flip flopping between whether to speak up or stay silent. The very night after Fishlegs had returned, she double checked her notes and was able to confirm it was in fact a Changewing egg. While difficult to train due to their natural camouflage and acid spit in lieu of fire breathing, she had found herself daydreaming riding on an adult's back on more than one occasion. Luckily, Gothi's patience was as strong as her swinging arm as Tengan earned another couple lumps.

Every time she managed to convince herself to tell the others what she knew, it seemed impossible to get a hold of them. Between Fishlegs returning his egg and Snotlout scavenging more to auction off, the persistent crowds around the village never seemed to dissipate. It didn;t help that her confidence in confiding in the Riders always faded with the setting sun. That evening, as Tengan watched Astrid settle Sotrmfly in for the night, her resolve seemed to dry up on her tongue. 'Besides,' she thought 'the other teens were too busy to worry about a problem that hadn't technically arisen yet.' None of the others even seemed to notice it had been six days since they last let her join them for even the shortest patrol flight. Tengan sighed into her blanket as she set aside her journal and quills for the night and closed her eyes.

Astrid was shaking her awake in what felt like seconds later. Their surroundings told of the darkest, deepest point of the night, offset only by eeries patches of glowing green light nearby. Screams rang outside, punctuated by occasional roars and the crunch of splintering wood.

"Tengan, get up! We're under attack by wild Changelings!" Astried cried out before grabbing the girl's blade and tossing it across the room, her own axe already belted on.

Leaping out of bed, Tengan caught the hilt with one hand and pulled her sword belt on with the other. "Oh no..." A cold weight settled into her stomach as she followed Astrid outside. The others were already waiting.

Fishlegs continuously wrung his hands. "Oh this is all my fault! I should have known those were eggs!"

Hiccup patted the boy's shoulder while glaring at Snotlout. "No it's not your fault. This wouldn't have happened if SOMEONE hadn't followed you back to the island and stolen a clutch right out of their nests!"

Snotlout sneered back from atop Hookfang. "Don't look at me! It's not my fault people were willing to pay anything to own a bit of good luck!"

Tuffnut chuckled as a swooping Changewing landed a direct acid shot on a nearby house. "Yeah, I mean who could have known those were eggs? I have to admit, the acid spitting is pretty cool though. Much better than gas. No offence Barfy, my boy." He patted his dragon's chin.

"It is not cool!" Astrid shouted. "They're destroying our homes!"

"Don't yell at him!" Ruffnut shot back.

The din of arguing teens and their antsy dragons faded as a wave of revulsion swept over Tengan and the sound of rushing air filled her ears. She spent several seconds digging her nails into her crossed forearms before covering her face and shouting loud enough to be heard over the group. "IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" She cried, tears finally spilling. "I knew what they were when Fishlegs came back with the first one. I thought that if one stayed long enough to hatch I could raise it and…." she gasped, voice shuddering to a halt.

The teens all stared at her, varying expressions of shock on their faces. Snotlout's face rapidly swapped between surprise and something akin to impressed.

"Tengan" Hiccup began. "It's not your fault. I know I haven't been keeping the promise I made you. But you know they have to go back. They don't belong here and-"

"I know." Tengan sighed. "I-I just don't want to be left behind anymore….."

"We can talk about this later." Astrid said with a stern glance at Hiccup. "Right now we have dragons to herd and fires to put out. Tengan, you lead the bucket brigade from the ground. You know as much about these dragons as we do. Help the villagers stay safe. The rest of us will gather the eggs and herd the Changewings away."

Wiping her eyes, Tengan nodded and ran off towards Gobber's hut where many had already assembled to grab water containers. Her heart felt surprisingly lighter after her admission, despite the current danger. Twice, while running alongside someone towards a blazing building, she had to abandon her bucket and push them out of the way as the telltale shimmer of the Changewing's camouflage gave the dragon away seconds before an acid attack.

It was close to dawn when the dragons were finally herded off and the acid contained. Tengan found herself sitting at the edge of one of the town's many cliffs. Astrid and Hiccup sat on either side of her, their dragons snoozing in the grassy patch behind them.

"Hiccup told me about what happened on Dragon Island and what he told you after." Astrid said after a long moment of silence.

Tengan drew her knees to her chin and stared off to the horizon at the fading stars. "I'd understand if you didn't want me to study with you guys anymore. I should have never let my emotions jeopardize everything. I'm sorry. I could have prevented this."

"Yeah and so could have Snotlout is he hadn't stolen dragon eggs right out of their nests." Astrid immediately countered.

"It's actually me who owes you an apology." Hiccup added, rubbing the back of his head as his eyes followed her gaze out to sea. "You've been a great help to us since you got here and I did promise we'd find you a dragon. I've been busy lately but I shouldn't have pushed it aside after one failed attempt."

Tengan sat quietly for several moments. "I've missed you guys a lot the past few days. It's been interesting studying under Gothi but…"

Astrid chuckled. "Yeah, I know. She's not the best conversationalist."

Hiccup cleared his throat nervously. "Tengan, I can't promise we'll find you the right fit tomorrow, next week, or even next month. But I can promise you that we will keep looking. For real this time!" He added as he caught her skeptical gaze.

"...Thank you Hiccup. I believe you. But what can we do until then?" She shuddered at the thought of rereading the Book of Dragons for the twentieth time that week. Berk was lively with culture but sorely lacking when it came to written records.

"We've been talking about it." Astrid smiled softly. "There's really no reason you can't come with us on our missions. You flattened all of the guys in combat practice, something only I had been able to do before now. All of our dragons know and trust you enough to let you fly on them. It might take some weird seating arrangements at times but-"

The rest of her sentence was lost as Meatlug, Barf and Belch, and Hookfang soared overhead. Toothless and Stormfly, roused from their naps, scrambled to their feet and roared sleepily in response to their companion's appearance.

"Come on guys!" Fishlegs called out. "I want to do one last perimeter sweep to make sure all the Changewings got home safely!"

The three teens on the cliff stood, brushing dirt and loose grass off their pants. Tengan heitated for a moment when she saw Astrid following Hiccup over to Toothless. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Stormfly's snout bumping against the center of her back.

"I wouldn't keep her waiting." Astrid called over her shoulder as she settled in the saddle behind Hiccup. "Early morning flights are her favorite."

Beaming, Tengan scrambled into Stormfly's saddle and shifted her weight experimentally. With whooping cries of excitement, she urged the Nadder into the sky, her cries dissolving into laughter as Stormfly, reacting to her rider's exuberance, performed a tight barrel roll while climbing. As they leveled off with the group the sun began to climb over the horizon, casting them all in it's golden glow. Tengan gazed at each of her friends in turn before setting her gaze on Astrid.

"Well?" the blond grinned. "You know the route we usually take. Lead the way!"


	8. Reunion on Dragon Island

Tengan sat on her bed, awkwardly slumped over her bedside stump. Crushed under her was a journal, a quill, and several pieces of parchment in varying crumpled states. Her inkwell thankfully still stood sentinel at her right elbow. Fanned out on the bed around her were several overlapping pieces of parchment. Through a few scratch outs, blotches where water had splashed against them, and one poor piece that had burned edges from a Hookfang tantrum, snatches of her cramped writing from events over the last few weeks could be read.

'On Berk there is an event called Bork Week where the locals celebrate the first viking to document dragon behavior. This celebration occurs around the time of planting and incorporates telling of stories, feasts, and tests of strength. The keeping of these original records and documents is highly regarded and is passed from one caretaker to another once in generation and after much deliberation. This year, Hiccup was entrusted as the successor due to his accomplishments running the Berk Dragon Academy. On the second day of the event, It was discovered that one of the villagers introduced false information about a fictional Isle of Night (a home for Night Furies) leading to the almost collapse of the island as a rival group on Outcast Island attempted to-' The rest of the page was obscured by her lengthy transcription of Bork's notes as well as the original copies of the fake ones Mildew slipped in.

Another piece of paper stuck out oddly from the pile. '-ban on all flying. A move seen as rash by many of the villagers, especially the Dragon Riders. Their response was immediate retaliation by forming a Dragon Flight Club that flew exclusively at night. The nocturnal habits of normally diurnal dragons were observed. Notable examples were-' A large satchel rested on the lower half of the page. Spilling from the opening in the bag was a long list entitled GRONCKLE IRON containing different types of stones written out countless times in varying combinations and quantities. Small notes accompanied each cluster of stones. The ones closest to the top of the page reading things like 'Meatlug refused' and 'Mixture set, shattered when tempered. Less sandstone?'

Slowly, the sun began to set over the village and the light crept away from the sleeping teen. When the rays were almost two thirds of the way across the room her slumber was interrupted when Astrid quite literally kicked the door in. "TENGAN! You ready?"

Tengan screamed in shock and flung herself backwards on the bed, sending a shower of paper, quills, and the half empty ink bottle into the air. With another cry, she managed to snatch the bottle halfway through its arc towards the floor. "Astrid! You know I hate that." She groaned, struggling one-armed into a sitting position.

"I know. That's why it's fun." Astrid chuckled in response at her eyeing her bleary eyed houseguest. "I hope you finished all your note taking because all of that is staying behind!" Astrid placed her hand under Tengan's arm to help the girl on her feet.

"What? Come on Astrid, stop messing around. You know I have to take notes-"

"Not tonight! Tonight you're training as a Dragon Rider. We'll all be splitting up and I don't want to have to come rescue you because you walked headfirst into a Typhoomerang while drawing a map. Besides," She quickly stooped to gather an armful of pages from the floor before depositing them in a messy heap on the bed. "You've got the best memory of any of us. I mean, except for Fishlegs. You'll be able to write down everything when we get back tomorrow morning!"

Tengans feeble attempts to argue were drowned out as Astrid shuffled her out the door and into Stormfly's saddle. Quickly, she patted her chest where a small leather folder with a few sheets of blank paper bound together and a stick of charcoal sat protected in her clothes. An apology gift of sorts Hiccup had traded for when Johan swung back around before heading out to open sea. "Fine! But I get to direct Stormfly to Dragon Island. It'll help me remember the weather patterns and star charts when I'm recording this later."

The two girls and Nadder landed among the gathering group on the deserted shore just as the Sun slipped below the horizon and the first few stars winked into existence.

Hiccup waved in greeting to the pair. "Ah there you are! We were just deciding who is going to skip the drill to stay with the dragons so they won't help us."

Fishlegs eagerly bounced on the balls of his feet. "It should be-"

"ME ME ME!" Tuffnut cut across him. "You know dragons from your books but I know them here" He caressed his growling stomach almost lovingly.

Tengan cast a questioning look at Ruffnut who returned the gaze with a patient shrug.

"Tuff's right, Fishlegs." Hiccup admitted. "If Alvin attacks us with wild dragons we all need to be ready to deal with that. You'll see Meatlug in a few hours."

Snotlout laughed at the look of defeat on Fishlegs' face before yanking his lantern from the stockpile and striding off into the woods. "Watch and learn how a real viking does it ladies! I'll be the first one back!"

"It's not a race Snotlout. Stealth is the name of the game." Hiccup called, grabbing a lantern of his own and following.

Tengan waited for the other girls to grab their gear before she took the last lantern, waved a farewell to Tuffnut and the dragons, and set off, loosely following the path the others had taken. Several times the light from their lanterns bobbed in the distance, the light growing dimmer along with their owner's footsteps. After a while all she could hear was the sound of her own lantern swinging and feet plodding softly on the packed earth. Several times she stopped to gaze at the night sky to orient herself under the stars that had become almost as familiar as the ones back home.

On her third pause, a rustling in the brush caught her attention. Lifting the lantern for light, she watched as four Terrible Terrors stalked towards her from the treeline. Two had their wings half furled while one of the others let out a low, warning growl. Mentally, she flipped through her notes on Terrors before bringing out her small leather folder. The metal catch holding it shut reflected the bright light of her lantern onto the ground, catching the dragons' attention. With rapid movements, she had the patch of light dance on the forest floor before the tiny pack, quickly entrancing them. Once all four heads were whipping back and forth to follow the light, she had it dart into a nearby thicket. A sigh of relief left her as all four Terrors started after the much more interesting prey.

Resolving not to stick around for when the dragons realized the deception, Tengan started off at a light jog, angling away from the brush. Several moments later a weird chorus of howls met her ears. It didn't sound like any creature she had ever heard before. Almost human, but not quite. Biting her lip, Tengan's head swung between the general direction of her goal and the direction of the sound. 'What if it was a hurt dragon? Or a new species entirely? I mean, we decided speed wasn't the goal. I can take a little time to investigate.' she reasoned, angling on her new course to investigate.

As the sound grew louder, Tengan dampened her lantern. It seemed wherever this thing was, it either was creating a light source or was guarding one, as an orange glow quickly grew between the trees before her. Squinting in the brightness after her eyes had adjusted to the nearly moonless night and soft glow of her lantern, Tengan went to place her hand on a nearby tree trunk but missed entirely. She rolled forward into a campsite before landing on her back, startling the two howling humans up off the ground. Scrambling back to her own feet, she discovered the source of the noise was none other than Hiccup and- "Dagur?!" she cried out in disbelief.

"Tengan?!" both boys echoed back at her, a look of pure shock on Dagur's face and one of exasperation on Hiccup's. "Why-" Dagur started.

"Did you follow me out here?" Hiccup cut him off in an unnaturally loud voice as he stared wide eyed at Tengan. "You knew I was going dragon hunting tonight! Alone!" His voice pitched higher.

Tengan bought herself some time to think by dusting off her clothes before deciding to mimic a stance her mother often used when irritated and placed her fists on her hips. "I know! And you thought you would just leave me behind when I specifically told you I needed more notes on proper hunting techniques!"

Dagur roared with laughter. "In the doghouse now aren't we Hiccup?" He shoved past the smaller boy before grabbing Tengan by her upper arms and shaking her slightly. "He was just telling me how the Night Fury got away the last time I was on Berk. And you? How did you survive that Monstrous Nightmare?" His face was full of manic energy.

Sparing a quick glance at Hiccup who still wore the unhelpful expression of one caught between a dragon and a stone wall, Tengan stammered back. "Well I…. Actually I have you to thank for that Dagur!" She wiggled out of his grip. "I, uh, remembered all those tales you told me on how you fought off larger dragons and tried to copy a few moves. Eventually the Monstrous Nightmare decided I was too much trouble and dropped me on the beach."

Dagur's grin widened. Before he could respond, Hiccup cut between them. "And that is why I didn't want you out here! You should head back, it's much too dangerous."

"Oh let her stay, Hiccup! Between the two of us we'll be able to take down anything on this island. Besides," he sidled up to Tengan, letting his arm slide across her shoulders. "It'll be nice to have someone write the amazing epic of how I defeated a Night Fury! You did bring something to write with, hmm?" He turned, still holding her shoulders in a vice grip while gazing expectantly down at her.

"O-Of course I did." With somewhat difficulty, she extracted the small folder and piece of charcoal.

"Perfect!" Dagur cheered before steering her to a fallen log and all but forcing her to take a seat. "Before we get started on the hunt, I want you to know exactly why and how I ended up here. You see, I haven't been able to get you and that Night Fury out of my head, Hiccup!" He rounded on the other viking, pulling a sword out from the dirt and pointing it's blade tip at Hiccup's throat. "It was like you knew that dragon. I decided I needed to know dragons too… Are you getting all this?" He spoke over his shoulder to Tengan.

"Oh! Yeah, of course." She jotted down a few quick shorthand phrases before sharing a quick look of helplessness with Hiccup who sat captive across the way. The next fifteen minutes or so saw Dagur gradually speaking less to Hiccup and more to Tengan as he described stalking each of the species present on the island and the accompanying scars he had acquired along the way.

"And this scar I got from a Timberjack." Dagur droned on, pulling aside his breastplate to bare his chest where a long, still angry, pink scar of puckered skin sat above his left pectoral muscle. "Go on." he leaned in, smirking down at her. "Touch it." Without waiting for a response, one of his rough hands grabbed hold of her smaller one and pressed it against the warm flesh. "Pretty savage, right?"

She was saved from responding when the distant roar of a dragon snapped Dagur's attention away from her as he responded with a crazed cry of his own. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, she leaned forward and mouthed "What's going on?" to Hiccup.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. Again." was his silent reply. Clearing his throat, Hiccup addressed the Berserker. "So Dagur, it's been great catching up but-"

"You're right Hiccup! I've been so distracted I've forgotten my main goal. It's time we took down that Night Fury!" Dagur pounded his fist against his chest as the firelight danced across his face. "I can feel he's near. And I know you do too Hiccup. Let me grab my gear and we'll be off, brother!"

Tengan and Hiccup exchanged looks of utter confusion. Checking over her shoulder to make sure Dagur was distracted packing, she hustled across the campsite under the pretext of examining one of the dragon skulls decorating the camp. "Hiccup, we can't let him find Toothless. And, brother?"

Hiccup hastily whispered his reply. "I have no idea. And trust me, we won't. He's safe in the cave with Tuffnut. Just follow my lead, ok?"

"Oh Tengan~" Dagur called in a sing-songy voice as he shouldered his way between them. "Make sure you stick close to me. I wouldn't want you to miss a second if this." With a howl, he charged into the underbrush, leaving Tengan and Hiccup to scramble awkwardly after him.

It was a lucky night for the wild dragons when Hiccup and Tengan had happened on Dagur. Several times they were able to distract him from spotting one or had dissuaded him from attacking through some convoluted excuse on how it would tip off the intended target. As minutes turned into hours, Tengan began to wonder what they would do if they couldn't shake him before dawn. What would happen when the other Riders, noticing their absence, took flight to search for them. How could they maintain the secret?

Fortunately, or more aptly, unfortunately, they didn't have to wait until dawn. A rustle in the bushes prompted Dagur to dive behind a nearby boulder for cover, dragging the other two with him. Hiccup ended up pressed between a log to his left and Dagur's shoulder to his right while Tengan had the incredible misfortune to stumble and land on the ground with her back against the boulder. Dagur quite literally towered over her as he leaned in to the line up the sights on his crossbow. Neither of the two failed to notice their close proximity, although one seemed to be enjoying it much more than the other. "Hold still." Dagur smirked down at the girl trapped beneath him. "I think I heard the Night Fury."

"Actually, I think it's more likely a wild Yak." Hiccup whispered.

Tengan twisted the little she could to peek out behind their shelter, desperately trying to ignore the tight feeling in her gut from being so close to a boy who was quite easily pinning her down without much effort. "Actually, it's a Snotlout." she huffed before wriggling out from under her captor, bumping against his chest several times in the process.

"Close enough." Hiccup chuckled before stepping out from their cover to join her.

"Guys! Oh my god this place is awful. It's crawling with wild dragons!" Snoutlout complained before composing himself. "Well, not that I couldn't handle it." he cocked an eyebrow at Tengan before flashing what she counted at the nearly 250th flirtatious smile she had received since landing on the isle. It really was amazing that he never gave up on any of the girls in the group. And a little desperate.

"Snot...hat? Was it?" Dagur droned in an unusually flat and dismissive voice as he sidled up to Tengan. "Hiccup? Tengan, I understand, but why is he following you around?"

"Snotlout was supposed to stay at basecamp!" Hiccup stammered as he rounded on Snotlout. "Remember? You were to stay behind while I. was. hunting. dragons. in. the. forest."

"You're doing what in the where now?" Snotlout replied, face screwed up in confusion.

"Not the sharpest arrow in the quiver." Dagur murmured to Tengan before nudging her forward and away from the newest addition to the group and in the direction they were previously heading.

Stealing a quick glance back at Hiccup and Snotlout in hushed conversation, Tengan attempted to keep Dagur engaged as they walked. "So, the last time we spoke you had mentioned the possibility of me visiting Berserker Isle to study your people's fighting style a bit more." She attempted a casual smile.

Dagur grinned wolfishly back at her. "Remember that, do you? Yeah" he added casually, rolling his shoulders. "I think we could arrange that. Once I get that Night Fury I can take you back with its head. You'll love the stuffing and mounting process we've developed. Much better than any other clan around."

She was saved from responding by a familiar high pitched scream. The group turned to see Fishlegs glancing at each of them in turn.

"Fishlegs!" Hiccup cried out. "Since you're here, you can help us hunt dragons!"

"Yup!" Snotlout added. "You can help us hunt dragons out here. Which is what we are doing! Hunting! Dragons!"

"Oh. Yeah, got it!" Fishlegs responded rather quickly.

"Hiccup, your definition of alone, and mine, are very different." Dagur remarked before turning towards their original destination, once again physically herding Tengan along with him. "You know, Hiccup." he began. "You and I are very much alike. Both born leaders to chiefs who had to be eliminated for us to seize control. Just say the word and I'll-" He fired a bolt over the group's heads, pinning Fishlegs' lantern to a nearby tree trunk and startling a cry from the rest of the group.

Seemingly attracted to their cries, something in the nearby bushes rustled. Dagur threw his arm out to stop Tengan before kneeling down, signaling to the others to follow. As they did he murmured out of the corner of his mouth while keeping his eyes trained on the brush. "Which one of your friends will it be this time Hiccup?"

"It's hard to say really." was his deadpan reply.

Tengan's heart dropped into her stomach as what was unmistakably a plasma blast landed feet away from Dagur before Toothless' reared his head over the smoldering brush.

"The Night Fury! Oh brother you've done it! You've led me right to it!" Dagur cheered, raising his crossbow to take aim.

"Dagur wait! I want to do it!" Hiccup shouldered between Tengan and Dagur, yanking the crossbow into his possession.

"I saw it first!" Dagur all but whined back at him. "And I brought the crossbow!"

Tengan used the confusion to back away from the arguing duo to join her friends. "Got any ideas?" she whispered, eyes locked on the two.

"No but I think Astrid does." Snotlout responded flatly, eyes locked on the arguing duo. "She's hiding in the bushes behind us."

Just as Dagur reclaimed his weapon and took aim, a group of Terrible Terrors burst from the nearby brush and jostled Dagur, sending the bolt astray where it embedded itself in a tree trunk.

"What's wrong with you guys!" Astrid's angry voice preceded her entrance. "I almost had those Terrors and you scared them off!"

"Terrors, shmerrors, we're hunting a Night Fury!" Dagur shot back. "Did you leave anyone on Berk?" he asked Hiccup in exasperation before stalking off to retrieve his bolt.

"Did he just say-" Astrid began.

"Yup." Tengan cut in.

"If Toothless is loose, that means the others are too. You guys need to take Tengan, find the twins, and get out of here with your dragons. Don't worry, Dagur won't hurt me. I'm his brother." Hiccup chuckled at the absurdity of the statement.

Before Astrid could reply Dagur returned and slung an arm over Hiccup's shoulders. "Come, Hiccup! While the trail is still fresh."

"Right." Hiccup raised his voice so the others could hear. "I can't hunt with an entourage. Go back to Berk! Leave us to our business!"

"You're right, it's probably better this way." Dagur nodded. "Sorry Tengan! I'll be sure to fill you in on all the details as we sail back to Berserker Isle!"

"Don't ask." Tengan mumbled in response to the questioning gaze she felt from her friends. "Let's just find the dragons and figure out a way to get Hiccup out of there."

Thankfully, Meatlug, Stormfly, and Hookfang seemed to have been close behind Toothless, for they showed up seconds after the pair had left. Finding the twins was as simple as following their usual trail of loud arguing. Within moments Tengan was settled behind Snotlout on Hookfang and winging her way back to the beach Dagur and Hiccup were headed to with the group. "Woah! Land!" she cried out to the others. "It looks like a ton of ships are docked in the cove!"

The rest of the flock dove sharply towards the ground and out of sight. Just as Hookfang's claws scraped against the rocky ground, Hiccup came into view on Toothless.

"Thank Thor you two are alright!" Astrid called out. "What's with all the ships?"

"Dagur brought the armada." Hiccup glanced over his shoulder before continuing. "And it looks like Alvin isn't the only threat we need to be aware of anymore. He knows about the Riders. And he's not happy about it. His men are on the way."

"We can take them!" Snotlout shouted and thrust his fist in the air, nearly jostling Tengan out of the saddle.

"Not today." Hiccup replied calmly. "It's been a long night and we're all tired. Dagur will be back. And when he comes, we'll be ready."

Nodding in agreement, the group took off and circled towards the rising sun and back towards Berk. Tengan sat quietly most of the flight back, trying not to think about how unlikely it would be that she would have another chance to go searching for a partner now that Dagur and Alvin knew about the island's trained dragons.


	9. Nightmares and Terrors

Tengan gazed up at the Whispering Death hovering in the air before her. It's last three feet of tail were replaced with a crude hook that spun wildly as its body undulated to stay aloft. It's mouth opened, but instead of a roar, Gobber's voice sounded from between the gnashing teeth.

"Time for a bath!" the dragon cried out cheerfully as a large washtub rose into view.

Tengan peered into the tub at the black water. She tried to lift her leg to hop in but her limbs refused to move. The water began to rumble and quivver before exploding upwards. The Screaming Death's ivory body materialized from the wall of water while thousands of tiny Fireworms emerged from the stray water droplets. In one large arc the dragons rose and fell towards her, all maws open to bite. She tried to run, shield her face, even scream but her body stubbornly refused to move. She could only watch in horror as the millions of teeth grew closer.

"That's quite enough, I think." A deep rumble of a voice echoed, accompanied by a bright blue glow that swept the visions away.

Tengan, newly freed, turned in the direction of the glow, her breathing ragged. Before her stood the Flightmare, wings raised as if prepared to take off at any moment. On it's back sat a man with deep ebony skin, piercing green eyes, and close cropped, tightly curled hair. "Father?" Tengan whispered, staggering towards the vision. No matter how many steps forward she took, the distance between them seemed to stay the same.

"Dragons make a fine subject for your studies, Little Scribe. But it is unwise to let any one facet completely absorb you." He smiled down at her, the skin around his eyes crinkling after years spent in the unyielding sun.

"I know, Father." Tengan broke into a jog. The pair started to slide slightly away from her with each step. "Why are you here? When did you learn to ride dragons? Have you seen Mother? Are you going home?" She broke into a run, arms pumping wildly in a vain attempt to gain ground.

"No, it is not time for me to return to our shores yet. Nor is it yours. The Flightmare follows it's algae source. The very thing that gives it life." The dragon began to glow steadily brighter. "As do our people. We follow the path our knowledge seeking sets before us. Keep asking questions! I can't wait to hear what answers you uncover."

The dragon shone so brightly, Tengan had to throw her arm across her eyes to shield herself from its brilliance. "Wait! Don't go!"

"I'm not leaving yet." Astrid called over her shoulder as she slipped out the front door. "Just checking Stormfly's saddle for wear and tear. You really should get up though. Hiccup expects all of us on the sea stacks in ten minutes!"

Tengan sat up, chest heaving as if she actually had broken into a sprint moments before. Her eyes darted around the room in a vain search for the Flighmare's eerie glow before settling on the haphazard stack of notes on her bedside stump, now barely visible under her notes. Carefully, she extracted a small bit of parchment near the top of the stack and wrote down as many small details about her father as she remembered from her dream. Tiny paragraphs of descriptions and little details surrounded a crude sketch composed of all the details she could still remember. Like water through her fingers, the harder she tried to remember the dream, the more the events and details blurred until she was sitting with the heels of her palms digging into her closed eyes in a desperate attempt to keep anymore from escaping.

"Tengan!" Astrid's voice sounded from Stormfly's stall built adjacent to the house. "Lets go!"

Groaning, Tengan abandoned her attempt and slipped out of bed. "Alright. But I refuse to be used as the 'viking in distress' again. I still have the bruises from the last 'rescue' maneuver the twins tried!"

Nearly an hour later, Tengan sat yawning on the sun warmed rock of the sea stacks the group had dedicated as their recuse training station. Between her restless dreams and the finally mild weather, she was finding it difficult to do much more than scribble down very basic descriptions of the new maneuvers before leaning her head on her loosely clenched fist and lightly dozing as the others argued the usefulness of their respective skills.

"We are a team!" Hiccup explained in exasperation. "No one person is more important than the other!"

"That's easy for you to say!" Fishlegs replied. "You ride Toothless, a Night Fury. And the Night Fury is on the top of the list in intelligence, speed, accuracy, fire power, and well, everything!"

"W-What?" Hiccup stammered. "Tengan, back me up. Aren't we all equal on the team?"

Tengan's head popped up from her hand. She blinked the sleep from her eyes a couple times before responding. "Look Hiccup, I know you see everyone as equal but with everything I've seen from you guys, the wild dragons, and the Book of Dragons, not all dragons are made the same. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. It just so happens for the purpose of the Riders that Toothless tops the charts in skills most used. And that can make it easy for him to 'outshine' the others." She yawned loudly. "But what do I know." she added quietly after noticing Hiccup's mildly hurt expression.

"She's right." Snotlout added smugly before anyone else could jump in. "We'll never know who the best dragon trainer is because we don't have a level playing field."

"But what if we did have a level playing field?" Fishlegs mused. "What if there was a way we could prove once and for all, who the best trainer is? Meet me back at the Academy in a couple hours!" Without waiting for a response, he scrambled into Meatlug's saddle and took off towards Berk.

Both dragons and teenagers cocked their heads in confusion at the sudden change in the usually non confrontational viking's demeanor.

"What do you think climbed into his pants?" Tuffnut asked, gesturing lazy towards Meatlug's retreating bulk.

"I have no idea." Hiccup sighed. "But we might as well see what he's up to."

"Well," Tengan stood and stretched. "We have a couple hours. I've been meaning to get a few more ariel sketches of the far side of the island. Can anyone offer me a lift?"

"Your saddle awaits my la-" Snotlout started with a low bow before Astrid elbowed him harshly in the ribs.

"I'll take you." she cut across the yowling Jorgenson before hoisting herself back onto Stormfly.

Tengan mouthed a silent 'thank you' before joining her in the saddle. The pair took off with the rest of the group before splintering off to circle higher, lazily drifting towards the other end of the island on warm updrafts. Tengan spent several quiet moments sketching the finer details onto her ever evolving map of Berk, paying special attention to rock formations that only appeared with the changing of the tides.

"So, you've been having nightmares a lot more lately. Care to fill me in?" Astrid suddenly broke the silence.

Tengan's hand slipped, creating the appearance of a fissure along one of the beaches she had sketched. "I didn't realize I was talking in my sleep. Sorry for bothering you."

"It's not a bother. You've just seemed troubled since the Flightmare came through. I can hear you talking to someone like you're begging them not to leave." Astrid carefully avoided eye contact while she guided Stormfly along the shoreline.

Tengan took several deep breaths. It was suddenly very difficult to swallow. "...My father. I've been seeing my father in my dreams."

"Isn't he off on a collection mission?" Astrid angled Stormfly to circle a low hanging cloud.

"Yes, I've only actually seen him a handful of times since my birth. Most of my people don't stay on the Shimmering Shores. We love learning too much to stay in one place for very long once we feel we've absorbed all we can. It never used to bother me. I'm proud to know he's out there documenting…" Tengan folded the map, tucking it away in her vest.

"But?" Astrid pressed lightly.

"But, I've spent a good amount of time here. With you all. And your families. I knew vikings tended to stay with their partners and children; I just never thought about how nice it must be to wake up with both parents home all the time. It makes me wonder how it would be like if my parents were always home. Always together. With me."

Astrid nodded pensively. "Yeah, it is nice to have them home. It wasn't always like that though. Back when we were at war with the dragons, we'd often send ships out with warriors to defend our fishing spots or search for their nests. Not everyone would come back. Either my mother or father would always be on those voyages. Sometimes both. Whenever I saw them sailing away I never knew if it was the last time I would see them. I was always proud that they were out there fighting for us but it never made it easier to see them leave."

The girls flew in silence for several minutes. Stormfly suddenly baked into the cloud, mouth open to gather condensation. When sated, she angled out of it's confines and started winging back to Berk with two very wet passengers.

Tengan laughed; Astrid now resembled something akin to a drowned rat. She was sure her wild, curly hair probably looked just as ridiculous as it typically swelled in size when confronted with high humidity. "...Thanks Astrid." She gripped the girl's shoulder for a few seconds in an attempt to convey the depth of her gratitude.

"Anytime. Now let's head to the Academy. I'm dying to see what Fishlegs has come up with."

To the entire group's confusion, it turned out the big reveal was a simple crate. Albeit it was making several soft scratching and cooing noises. FIshlegs smiled as he slid the lid off the crate with a small flourish. Instantly, several Terrible Terrors darted their heads in and out of the opening, eyes focusing on the teens standing before them.

"Terrible Terrors?" Snotlout sneered. "This is your level playing field?"

"Yup!" Fishlegs continued, unperturbed. "We'll each take one and have a day to train it. Then we'll see who is really the best!"

"You don't have a chance!" Snoutlout laughed. "You know why? Because there are readers and there are doers! While you're busy with your books I'm out there kicking names and taking butts!"

"I think you meant that the other way around." Astrid remarked dryly.

Tengan tuned out the ensuing argument as she sidled up to the box. The terrors reminded her a lot of the pups one of the wild dogs near her village had whelped. They scrambled over each other in a desperate attempt to catch her attention. Several times, one would lick its enormous eyes to retain moisture. Soon enough the other teens were jostling each other to select their competition partner. After the scuffle, a lone, sea foam green one sat curled up at the bottom of the crate, its eyes turned up.

"Uh, Fishlegs?" Tengan piped up. "I think you brought one too many."

Fishlegs peered into the crate, a light orange dragon wiggling in his arms. "What? Oh, no I counted correctly. That one's yours Tengan! You're part of the competition too. Don't worry we won't make you clean anyone's stall if you lose."

Tengans heart skipped a beat as she peered down at the small dragon again. She honestly never considered taking on a Terror as they never grew larger than a young boar. Certainly never big enough to ride. The dragon peered back up at her and chirped questioningly. Slowly, she scooped the reptile into her arms and held it carefully against her chest, feeling the rapid movement of its own breathing. "Fishlegs I-"

"Don't worry about it." he smiled at her. "Just make sure to beat Snotlout. Which, given all your extensive knowledge, shouldn't be a problem."

Tengan laughed, wiping her eyes on the back of her free hand. "You've got yourself a deal." Her gaze fell to the tiny dragon nestled in her arms. 'My dragon.' she mentally corrected as she walked out of the arena with the others. Hiccup's assurances that this was not an actual competition passed in one ear and out the other.

Nestled in a well lit corner of the Great Hall, Tengan sat on a long stone bench with her new companion sitting quietly on the table before her. Piled high next to them were a collection of notes she thought would come in handy along with a bucket of freshly smoked and grilled pieces of fish. "Ok, Kelp" she cooed, tickling her dragon's hide as it glittered in the firelight "We only have one day to work on some behaviors. I'm thinking of playing to your strengths."

"Kelp, eh? Good name. Better than DeathWing. Or was it Iggy?" Hiccup commented as he slipped onto the bench next to her. Toothless plopped his head on the table and vocalized gently to the Terror. "You're not taking this whole competition thing seriously are you?"

"Why not?" Tengan bristled. "This is the first chance I have for you all to see me as an equal, Hiccup. I really appreciate that you've all been making an effort not to leave me behind but I know I'm still seen as excess baggage. Or at best a referee when Snotlout wants to race."

"Woah, woah." Hiccup put his hands up defensively. "No one has ever said that about you." He scratched under Kelp's chin. "We all know you'll make a great Rider when we find you the perfect dragon. Just… don't let this silly competition get under your skin, alright? I'm barely holding it together with Fishlegs and Snotlout going at each other. And you know how Astrid gets."

Tengan eyed Hiccup's exhausted face closely for a moment. Exhaling slowly, she allowed her frustrations to ease out with her breath. "Why do you think we're practicing in the Great Hall?" she smiled.

Hiccup returned the grin uneasily. "You can always crash with us tonight if she gets out of control."

"And let you see all the top secret behaviors we're working on?" she playfully nudged his ribs. "Thanks Hiccup, but we'll be fine. We should actually get back to work. But, good luck with your Terror. The others will be hard pressed to top whatever you come up with." Tengan watched Hiccup meander back out the hall with seemingly lighter shoulders before turning back to Kelp, the bucket of fish ready in her arms. "Ok. Why don't we get started with squeezing in tight spaces? Then we can move on to object retrieval…"

They trained well into the night, only stopping when a yawn chain, started by Kelp bounced back and forth between them several times. Tengan scooped him into her arms before shouldering her pack and the almost empty buck of fish scraps. When they made it back to Astrid's, she wasn't surprised to see the viking was still practicing in the yard. Bidding each other goodnight, Tengan slipped into bed, placing Kelp down by her feet. She was rather surprised when the small dragon, grunting in disapproval, scuttled up the blanket and wedged himself firmly between her chest and pillow. She smiled, stroking his side lightly as they quickly fell into a deep sleep; her dreams nonexistent.

The next morning and early afternoon, they spent a bit of time finalizing their short routine before making the trek towards the academy, Kelp riding her shoulders with his tail wrapped around her right bicep for support. They slipped into the Academy relatively unnoticed and stood back to let the others demonstrate their behaviors first. As they waited, Tengan's heart began to hammer and the sound of roaring water crashed in her ears. What if what they worked on wasn't enough?

Hiccup went first. His Terrible Terror had truly earned the name Sharpshot with how it accurately blasted multiple targets launched into the air off of Toothless' wings. Astrid followed up with having her Terror, aptly named Shadow, stealthy climb and glide onto the unsuspecting heads of the other teens. Unsurprisingly, the twins had taught Head and Butt to fly full speed into each other on command. It was rather impressive they actually complied, as both dragons looked a bit loopy after the collision.

"Alright then, Tengan?" Hiccup turned to her. "What have you been working on with Kelp?"

Tengan gluped before setting her partner down. "Well, actually we've been working on a couple different things. I noticed that at times during missions there are a few ways we could utilize a smaller dragon. For example," She pulled out an old, rusted key that Gobber had let her have as it belonged to a house that burnt down nearly a decade prior. Walking over to the pens, she stuck her arm through one of the small gaps and threw the key as far in as she could. "There have been a few times where small objects were out of reach or were delicately balanced. Kelp, retrieve." She pointed towards the key.

Kelp chirped happily before wriggling through the close set bars. Once inside he flew quickly over to the key, snatched it up in his mouth, and flew back. Wiggling back through the bars, he settled on Tengan's shoulder before dropping the key in her outstretched hand.

"Fetching? Really? Is that all?" Snotlout scoffed.

"Actually small object retrieval would have been really useful on several occasions." Hiccup chimed in. "Go on Tengan. You said you were working on a couple things."

Slightly shaking, she nodded. "Uh, yeah. Well, we only managed to finish one other behavior. Um, Astrid would you mind helping me? There's some rope in my bag. Could you tie my ankles and wrists together?"

Astrid complied with an amused smile, binding her with incredibly difficult knots. "Alright, all secure!"

Tengan, sitting on the ground, adjusted her weight and tested the bonds. There was no way she would be able to undo these herself. "Ok, now if we were to be captured, it's likely we would be gagged as well. So…" She rapped her heels against the ground twice.

Kelp's head shot up, his eyes focusing on the ropes. After a moment he scrambled over and tore into the ropes binding her feet. Within seconds he had chewed completely through the thick rope. Without a moment's pause, he turned on the knots around her wrists. Despite his ferocious attack on the binding, his teeth never once touched her skin.

Once free Tengan stood and scooped Kelp into her arms. Fishing in her pocket, she produced a few strips of fish for her dragon before smiling nervously at her friends. "Uh yeah, that's all we were able to work on."

"That was actually really cool." Ruffnut commented with a thumbs up.

"Very useful." Astrid chimed in.

"Definitely made the right choice making you a Rider." Hiccup smiled.

Tengan's heart swelled. She hugged her dragon to her chest and pressed a kiss on top of his scaly head. "Thanks Kelp. You were great." she whispered to the Terror, who gurgled in response.

"That was pretty good." Fishlegs admitted. "But prepare to now be amazed by the smartest dragon on the archipelago!"

While Fishlegs had Iggy perform a more advanced form of object retrieval utilizing flash cards of varying objects, Tengan noticed Meatlug looked almost lifeless as she sat curled up along the wall of the arena, moping. She silently hoped once this was all over Fishlegs would make it up to her. The poor Gronkle seemed so lost without her rider's constant affections.

"Big deal!" Snotlout exclaimed as Iggy returned to perch on an upturned barrel. "So we have another Terror who can play fetch. How original."

"Well," Fishlegs responded slyly. "What does yours do?"

Snotlout stomped over to a heavy lidded box and flung it open. The purple Terror that had latched onto his arm yesterday sprung out and clamped down on his calf, digging its pointed teeth through leather and into flesh.

"Wait, so you trained it to bite you?" FIshlegs laughed. "This is ridiculous. Just tell everyone I won Hiccup!"

"YOU?!" Snotlout retorted, hobbling over for his leg was still being chewed on by the Terror.

"Woah!" Astrid chimed in. "My Terror's stealth skills were pretty awesome."

"Please Astrid," Fishlegs retorted in an uncharacteristically dismissive tone. "There's no brains in teaching a Terror to hide."

"Well our trainees ram their heads together at high speeds!" Shouted Ruffnut. "That takes brains!"

"Yeah!" Tuffnut added. "Really hard, rock-like brains!"

"Oh come on!" Fishlegs threw his arms up. "Tengan! Tell them you think I should win!"

Tengan's head flinched upwards as her brow furrowed. "Why would you assume I think you should win? Kelp is the first dragon I've ever trained and I taught him two behaviors in once day."

In the distance, a familiar roar sounded, putting an end to the argument. Fishlegs spun in a quick circle, only to notice that in the heat of their bickering, Meatlug had wandered off. "Meatlug? Where are ya girl!?" He ran out of the arena, followed by the rest of the group.

They followed her vocalizations to the path winding up the hillside behind the academy only to find the Gronkle had been muzzled and was being forced into an old Whispering Death hole by three large vikings. Toothless fired off a plasma blast in an attempt to stop them, but the force of the hit only sent several large boulders into the hole, effectively blocking anyone else from entering the den. The other dragons, Terrible Terrors included, spent several minutes trying to blast the rocks out of the way but only suceeded in packing them more tightly into the opening.

"What are we going to do, Hiccup!?" Fishlegs cried out in desperation. "Those tunnels go all over the island! She could be anywhere?!"

"They don't really go all over the island." Tuffnut added casually. "Just a few yak farms, sheep pens, and Mildew's cabbage farm. We spent a lot of time down there. It's a tunnel of fun!" He chuckled at his own pun.

"Oh, and one that goes to the secluded beach on the far side of the island. You know, with the white, soft sand." Ruffnut added.

"That has to be where they're headed. Mount up! Let's go!" Hiccup cried out, swinging into the saddle.

Tengan scrambled into Stormfly's saddle behind Astrid and placed Kelp on her shoulders. The crew took off, their numbers bolstered by the Terrible Terrors, and angled towards the spot the twins indicated. Just beyond the shore, an outcast ship was sailing away, propelled even faster by several pairs of oars.

The teens urged their dragons in a steep drive toward the boat, unloading a volley of fire and spines once they came within range. They were forced to halt and retreat as Alvin held a sword tip to the bound and muzzled Meatlug's throat.

"We can't just leave her!" Fishlegs cried out.

"We're not." Hiccup promised as the group leveled out above cloud cover. "It seems this competition was a good idea after all. Tengan! Think Kelp would do that rope biting trick again?"

Tengan nodded and held her arm out to her side, smiling as Kelp settled on the perch. "Not a problem. What's the plan?"

If the Outcasts hadn't threatened their lives on more than one occasion, Tengan would have almost felt bad for them. Almost. She figured it couldn't be good for a viking's pride to be bested by a small flock of dragons no bigger than sucking pigs. She had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing when Shadow perched atop several of the crew's heads, leading to more than one of the crew being knocked out by their companion. Iggy's object retrieval continued to be useful as he disarmed several vikings. Head and Butt's combined efforts made the air literally ring with the sound of denting metal as they rammed against their own targets. Even Snotlout's nameless purple Terror found a new teething toy, evident by the scream that sounded from the ship. Sharpshot and Kelp dove in together during the commotion, the former laying down cover fire while the latter quickly bit through Meatlug's bindings. Newly freed, Meatlug roared with joy as she climbed into the air and hovered next to Toothless as Fishlegs scrambled into her saddle.

"Let's get out of here!" Fishlegs called, has arms wrapped as tightly around his dragons bulk as he could manage from his perch upon her back.

"Just one more loose end." Hiccup called back before diving, having Toothless fire multiple plasma blasts through the hull of the now sinking ship before rejoining the formation.

Tengan held her arms out for Kelp, who cheerfully squealed as he dropped from the sky and into her embrace. "Good boy, Kelp! I'm so proud of you!"

"So how does it feel, training your first dragon?" Astrid called over her shoulder.

"Better than I thought it would." Tengan called back, snuggling her cheerfully gurgling partner closer to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tengan finally has a dragon! Albeit, a bit smaller than she expected for her first partner. Next chapter will feature our favorite Berserker chief again! And a "shocking" development. Hopefully that chapter will be up around Wednesday of next week. It's a long one but I've had most of the plot points sitting in one of my journals for a long while.


	10. Where There's Lightning... (1 of 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter came out so long I split it into two. But I'm posting both parts together as they're one overarching story beat. Enjoy!

"Hey Kelp! What did Fishlegs send you with?" Tengan greeted the small dragon as he swooped into the room through the open window. She spent a few moments tickling his chin in appreciation before untying the scroll attached to his leg. "Looks like the new notes on growth and maturation of Typhoomerangs I asked for. Thanks buddy!" She tossed him a scrap of smoked salmon from a small bag attached to her hip before smoothing the scroll flat to copy it.

Kelp purred as he scarfed down the treat. Sated, he hopped off his partner's shoulder and plodded along the bed, leaving small footprints on several scrolls and books along the way. Reaching the lone square foot of bed left unoccupied, he curled into the blankets and closed his eyes for a mid morning snooze.

Tengan spared her dragon a warm smile before turning back to her work. Across her lap lay the Book of Dragons, pages propped open to the Typhoomerang chapter. In front of her, taking up about half of the bed, was her ever evolving and expanding map of Berk and its surrounding islands. The boundaries had well exceeded the scroll she had dedicated to the task. Several overlapping pieces of paper had been haphazardly glued on the edges as their adventures uncovered more of the archipelago. New charcoal marks towards the center indicated the swatches of forest that had burned down in the recent summer fires. Scattered across the rest of the bed were numerous sketches of Kelp as well as lists of dragon traps once used by the vikings and how to dismantle them.

Her bedside stump was unrecognizable. Rolls of parchment, half filled journals, a cup stuffed full of quills, and stacks of scrap paper had transformed the simple table into an oddly shaped mound. At night, she had been forced to start storing the majority of her work under the borrowed bed but that space was rapidly filling as well. It wouldn't be long before she had to start keeping her less frequently used scrolls in the Academy.

"Tengan, you under all that paper?" Astrid chuckled from the doorway.

"Oh ha ha." The darker girl replied, setting down the scroll she was working on. "Did you need something?"

"Bucket and Mulch are overdue from their trip. Hiccup wants a few of us to fly north along their anticipated route. You wanna come? I don't think you have maps of that area yet."

"Noth?" Tengan twisted on the bed to extract her map. "Yeah, the farthest I have that way is the Fireworm queen's nest." Extracting herself from the maze of papers, she stood and began searching for her pack in the controlled chaos. "Just let me grab a few things and I'll be right out. Thanks for the invitation!"

"Don't thank me yet." Astrid scooped Kelp off the bed and out of the way. "The winter ice never completely melts where they were headed. Make sure to bring that yak-hide cloak I lent you."

Tengan was forced to admit she might have been better back on the island in her warm bed, far from the nearest glacier. Despite the extra layers of clothes and Kelp's warm body pressed against her, her fingers had become so numb she found herself unable to hold her charcoal pencils with any dexterity. Growing considerably more worried for the vikings potentially trapped out here, she had stowed her notes in Stormfly's saddlebags and focused her efforts on scanning the water. The sooner they found Bucket and Mulch, the sooner she could plop herself on the hearth in the Great Hall.

"Are you sure they were this far north?" Astrid called out over the howling wind as she shuddered from their blast.

"Aw you girls can't take the cold?" Snotlout jeered, smirking from his saddle.

"No." Astrid snapped back. "We just don't have a heated seat like you do."

"I see them!" Hiccup called over the others. "And it looks like they're in trouble!" Urging Toothless into a dive, he led the others towards an iceberg where the Berkians were being boarded by a Berserker ship. The two were holding up rather impressively on their own despite being outnumbered by nearly ten to one.

"Let's even those odds!" Tengan shouted. "Kelp, trip!" She loosed the Terror into the air, where it darted towards a throng of Berserkers. Gathering speed on the dive, he smashed his armor plated skull into the lower legs of a cluster of men, sending them toppling over on one another.

"Not bad." Astrid commented. "Stormfly, spine shot!" She aimed the Nadder at the attacking ship, encouraging her to let loose onto the rigging. The volley forced several attackers to dive for cover.

"Nice work!" Hiccup cheered as Hookfang and Snotloout set fire to gangplank between the boats. "Now it's our turn." He and Toothless sent plasma blasts into the water, forcing the Berserker ship away with the waves the attack created.

The Riders cheered as the attacking ship began to retreat, the sound devolving to laughter as Kelp harried them with small fire blasts before returning to the safety of his trainer's arms. When all seemed clear they landed on the ice flow and boarded the fishing vessel.

"What happened here?" Hiccup asked gently.

Mulch sighed. "We thought the Berserkers had hit the iceberg, so we came over to help! They attacked us after we saw… it." He led the teens off the ship and to a patch of ice that had been hacked away. "See? It!"

Tengan stood on her tiptoes to see over Astrid and Hiccup's shoulders, all discomfort from the cold temporarily forgotten in her curiosity. "Is that a-?"

"Dragon." Hiccup finished, brushing loose flakes of snow away from the creature's frozen prison. Around it lay picks, shovels, and axes that must have been thrown down in a hurry when Bucket and Mulch arrived.

"Why would Berserkers be trying to dig it out?" Astrid asked quietly, seemingly more to herself than anyone else.

"I have no idea." Hiccup answered, stooping to pick up one of the discarded picks.

"I-I think I might know." Tengan spoke quietly through chattering teeth, shifting Kelp to her shoulders to free her hands. "Dagur spoke a lot about one dragon in particular back when he visited Berk. I can't see enough of it to know for sure yet, but I think that might be a Skrill."

She brushed a bit of snow away from the encased dragon's face before retracting her hands, blowing on them for warmth.

"Of course!" Hiccup gasped, clasping his forehead. "The Skrill is part of the Berserker crest. That doesn't explain why they would want a frozen one, but we're going to find out."

"Oh great!" Snotlout groaned, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "That means that we have to dig it out!"

Thankfully, Snotlout's assertion was way off. The Berserkers had already freed the block containing the dragon from the surrounding ice. With Bucket and Mulch's help, the small group used spare ropes to tie the potential Skrill to the dragon's saddles before winging back to the academy. After freeing their dragons of the load, they stood in a semicircle around the dragoncicle, watching the setting sun lazily melt the icy prison. While Snotlout and the twins argued what combination of blasting and smashing would be the best way to break the ice, Tengan, along with Hiccup and Fishlegs prowled the perimeter of the block.

"Even curled in this awkward position, the body is quite large." Tengan mumbled, taking a few more notes while Kelp wobbled on his perch atop her head, squeaking his discontent.

"Let's get a closer look." Hiccup smiled "Fishlegs? Think you can give us a slow burn?"

"With pleasure! Meatlug? Lava blast if you please." He gave his Gronkle an appreciative pat as she melted a large chunk of the ice.

"Woah!" all three scholars exclaimed in unison, jostling each other slightly to get a better view. Kelp, tired of the disturbances, took off with an indignant squawk before settling on Stormfly's saddle.

"I knew it!" Tengan screeched, scribbling furiously on her parchment.

"Are you sure?" Hiccup asked, voice quivering "No one has seen one for years. If you're right, this could be huge?!"

"I should check the Book of Dragons to be sure but I think she's right Hiccup." Fishlegs grinned.

"I'll go with you two." Tengan shoved her supplies in her pack, whistling for Kelp. She trotted off after the boys, followed only mildly relucatlanly by Astrid and Kelp; the former complaining to the latter about their mutual friends' obsessive tendencies.

"Do NOT touch that ice while we're gone!" Hiccup called as an afterthought to Snotlout and the twins as they descended on the would-be Skrill.

After confirming Tengan's assessment, the small group reported to the Great Hall, where Stoick was trying to calm down an angry hoard eager to launch a counter attack on their once allies.

"Uh, Dad?" Hiccup cautiously interrupted. "We know why Bucket and Mulch were attacked. The dragon they found is a Skrill."

Stoick flinched ever so slightly in surprise, casting his face in momentary shadow. "Are you sure son?"

"It matches all of the descriptions in the Book of Dragons to a T." Fishlegs supplied eagerly, holding up the book, pages already open to a crude drawing of a Skrill's profile.

"And it matches the Berserker crest." Tengan added, stroking the space between Kelp's horns absentmindedly. "Dagur went on and on about how it looks and what powers it's supposed to supply his tribe. I'd recognize it anywhere. He said it had control over lighting. Could summon it at will."

"Almost" Fishlegs corrected, propping open the book. "It could redirect natural lighting to strike multiple targets at once."

"And store it for later use." Hiccup added eagerly.

"Remind me never to get near one." Astrid commented dryly.

"That's enough." Stoick cut across the teens sternly. "If even half of that is true, we need to get rid of that dragon. Immediately. It's just the excuse Dagur needs to go to war."

"Why not just give it to him?" Astrid asked, arms crossed. "It's just a frozen carcass."

"Actually" Fishlegs began. "Because of its internal body temperature, Skrills can stay safely frozen for decades."

As one, the group's heads turned towards the Academy. All of them had the same thought running through their mind. How long would it take Snotlout or the twins to try to break it out?

Turns out the answer was approximately one hour. On their hurried march towards the Academy, a large explosion ripped into the rapidly darkening sky. Breaking into an all out run, the thundering herd of humans arrived just in time to see the Skrill knock Stormfly nearly fifteen feet to the side before escaping, roaring in triumphant rage as it vanished into the night sky.

"I told you guys to leave it alone!" Hiccup glared at the trio of troublemakers.

"Their fault!" Snotlout pointed at the twins with an impressively passive face.

"Hey, it's not our fault! It jumped us" Ruffnut contested.

"Yeah" Tuffnutt affirmed. "It's a very sneaky dragon."

Stoick sighed heavily, glancing from the dark sky to the pieces of broken ice. "When I was a boy, my father's father would tell me of Berserkers fighting with harnessed dragons that brought lightning down from the sky. I always thought it was just a story but…." he stood silently for a long moment, his back to the teens. "You lot need to find that dragon."

"We'll find it, dad. I promise." Hiccup nodded solemnly.

Early the next morning, the group took off in the direction they last saw the Skrill. Tengan, from her perch behind Hiccup, scanned all the notes she could cram onto a single piece of parchment about the Skrill while Kelp beat his wings rapidly to keep up with the larger dragons.

"What are we going to do when we find it?"Astrid asked skeptically.

"Find it. Capture it. Train it." Hiccup replied, eyes darting rapidly across the sky as he searched for the tiniest movement. "Tengan, any luck with how to corner it?"

"Yes" she replied, eyes still fixed on the parchment. "It can't redirect lightning when it's in water."

"Ugh! Where is this thing!" Snotlout cried out. "We've been searching for hours and I'm STARVING!"

"That's it!" Hiccup exclaimed. "Snotlout you're unintentionally brilliant. Fishlegs, what is the Skrill's food of choice?"

Smiling, Fishlegs redirected Meatlug in a shallow dive, taking over as the head of their formation. The group flew over several sheep farms, noting patches of burnt landscape before coming across a gathering storm cloud. Thunder rumbled in the distance as the clouds briefly lit up.

"It's got to be there." Hiccup affirmed, taking over as the lead and guiding the group towards the storm.

Feeling the increased wind, Tengan opened her pack. "Kelp! In!" she called to the Terror, who obeyed without hesitation. Worried the storm might snatch her bag, she tied it securely to Toothless' saddle and secured the top, leaving enough space for Kelp to poke his head out if he were so inclined.

"Everyone else hold back for a moment!" Hiccups held his fist raised, signaling the others to hover. "Maybe if the Skrill sees just one dragon it won't attack! Ready, Tengan?"

"As I'll ever be." Was her uneasy reply. She felt pity for the poor thing lost in the clouds. It had been locked away for who knows how many years before being thrust into a world with unknown people and dragons.

Within moments Toothless had pulled alongside the Skrill, who growled a soft warning at the Night Fury. "Woah there." Hiccup murmured. "You must be hungry and cranky after sleeping for so long." He reached out a hand towards the Skrill.

Tengan, seeing the dragon's eyes narrow, yanked Hiccup's hand out of the way just in time for the Skrill to swing back around and snap. It's mouth gaped open as it collected crackling bolts of lightning in the back of it's throat.

"Toothless, evasive maneuvers!" Hiccup yelled before throwing himself flat in the saddle. They only just rolled out of the line of fire when the others caught up to them, drawn in by the commotion.

The Skrill, sensing an uneven fight, let loose a splintering blast towards the group at random before turning tail and fleeing into the dark cloud cover.

"We need to get it into the water." Hiccup murmured before raising his voice. "You guys stay below the cloud cover. We'll use Toothless' echo sense to find it and drive it down to you. Then we can all push it into the water. Tengan, hop onto Stormfly for this."

Nodding, Tengan retrieved her pack with the disgruntled Kelp stowed safely inside and stood on shaking legs atop Toothless' back. With a large exhale, she jumped off of the Night Fury and landed safely behind Astrid as Stormfly swung into place under her. Resecuring Kelp's pack, she waited with the others as roars echoed overhead. Within moments, the Skrill reappeared close to the water with Hiccup and Toothless close behind.

"Now Stormfly!" Astrid cried out, urging the Nadder to release a red hot jet of flame above the fleeing dragon. "It's working!"

Tengan frowned. She could see the Skrill's breathing had become labored and it's wing beats were a bit more erratic. She worried that if they managed to get it in the water, it would be unable to keep it's head above the surface long enough for the Riders to secure it in a makeshift sling.

Her concern for the Skrill quickly shifted into one for their own safety as several volleys of arrows forced the group to scatter. Squinting at the water, she was able to make out a small fleet of three ships with a familiar crest on the mainsail.

"Is that-" Astrid started, eyes also trained on the boats.

"Berserkers!" Hiccup cried. "Get out of range before they reload!"

"No, we can't!" Tengan spun in the saddle. "The Skrill is exhausted. If we don't keep drawing their fire, it'll be shot down!"

"And if we don't, we'll be shot down!" Astrid cried out, executing a tight loop to avoid a crossbow bolt.

"She's got a point." Hiccup conceded. "Astrid, take Snotlout and Fishlegs and keep drawing their fire. The twins and I will go after the Skrill!"

Tengan loosened the top of her pack and extracted the Terror. "Alright, Kelp. Stick to Stormfly and let them have it!" The terror growled eagerly before unfolding its wings and letting the wind rip him from her arms. He settled into place at Stormfly's right flank before following them into a dive bomb attack on the nearest ship.

Above the chaos of the close range battle, an enormous explosion erupted into the sky. It seemed Belch had ignited every last puff of Barf's gas. The resulting concussive wave seemed to have done the trick, as the Skrill fell unconscious from the sky, plunging in the water well away from the Berserker fleet who immediately turned to give chase.

"No!" Tengan screamed. "Astrid, we have to save it!" She leaned dangerously over the side of Stormfly's saddle to get a better view. The three ships had already begun to close in on the dragon and a fourth, appearing from behind a nearby sea stack had already pulled up alongside it, the crew throwing a chain net over the still dragon's body.

"It's too dangerous!" Astrid contended "We'll never be able to get in between the Skrill and the ship."

Thinking quickly, Tengan took a deep steadying breath. "I have an idea. Make one more pass as close to the Skrill as you can."

"Fall back everyone!" Hiccup called, turning in the air to hover out of range. "We have to regroup!"

"Astrid, please!" Tengan gripped her shoulder. "It will drown! Just one more pass."

Astrid glanced between the lifeless dragon bobbing like a cork and the retreating forms of her friends. "You better know what you're doing." she growled before turning Stormfly into a steep dive.

"I do. I promise. Kelp!" she cried out to the Terror as it tried to follow. "Guard Hiccup!" she pointed towards the Night Fury and felt a small bit of her anxiety ease as he reluctantly obeyed. Turning back around in the saddle, she swung one leg over the side as the ship grew closer.

"Wait what are you-" Astrid cried out as they hit the bottom of the dive.

Without a word, Tengan let herself slip off of the saddle and plunged into the icy water. The cold burned her skin as her lungs seized up. Fighting to break the surface of the water, she quickly paddled towards the floating mass of the Skrill, drowning out the jeers from the bloodthirsty vikings with her own ragged, halting breaths. Gripping the metal chains surrounding its body, she climbed hand over hand to the massive head. The Skrill's eyes were glazed orange slits as its nostrils dipped below the dark water.

Gritting her teeth against the numbing sensation creeping into her limbs, Tengan dove under the waves and shouldered the massive dragon's snout, forcing it above the water. In her desperate kicking, the chains wrapped tightly around her ankle. Every kick seemed to drag her further under the water, until she could only catch a precious breath for herself every few seconds. Through it all she managed to keep the Skrill's head above water, praying to all the gods she had ever heard of or read about that it was still alive.

The chain binding her tightened suddenly as the net containing her and the Skrill was slowly, agonizingly, dragged out of the water. Air filled her lungs in great greedy gasps as the cheers of the surrounding vikings filled her ears. Dangling painfully from one ankle, her eyes struggled to focus on a blurry, bulky shape standing before her, fists proudly pressed against his hips.

"Well, well. Look at what we got 'ere boys." A deep, rumbling voice droned.

Before she could open her mouth to retort, the men supporting the weight of her and the dragon still confined in the net released their grip. Tumbling towards the deck, her head smashed against the hard, wooden flooring of the ship, and she knew no more.


	11. ...There's Rumble (2 of 2)

"I say we dispose of her" the rumbling voice cut through the darkness. "I've seen their group. She's not a real Rider." The voice echoed slightly.

"No!" A second, strangely familiar voice rang out. "I know her. Bookish. Always taking notes. She can be useful. Besides, Hiccup" the voice spat the name out as if it were poison "is very protective of his friends."

"She ain't worth the extra effort. Never mind the cell space…." the first voice spat back.

'Cell?" Tengan thought dully as she lay on a cold, slightly damp surface. 'Is that where I am?' Cracking her eyes open slightly, her blurry eyesight struggled to focus on the distance lightsource suspended between the two people speaking. She began to lift her head off the floor, a cry slipping out from between her lips as her head throbbed in unison with her startled heartbeat. Nausea swept through her as a fresh wave of warm fluid pooled beneath her head. 'Oh. I'm bleeding.' she thought planely. She had an inkling the realization should bother her more but, mostly she wanted the nausea to subside so she could go back to sleep.

"Awake are we?" the larger blurry shape approached what she recognized as cell bars before resolving into a large man with a wild, bushy black beard and matching mustache. Alvin the Treacherous leered down at the injured girl, a look of amusement toying with his features. "Thought Savage knocked you down for good when you hit the deck. Wasn't sure you'd survive."

"I'm not sure I did myself." Tengan croaked in response, forcing the words from her dry, cracked lips. "Remind me to repay the favor." Her voice sounded much more confident than she felt. Struggling, limbs quavering with every effort, she forced herself into an awkward half sitting, half lying position with the majority of her weight on her left hip. Another wave of nausea brought bile to the back of her throat.

"Oh! Look who's finally snapping back!" the second shape approached the bars, rapidly focusing into the half triumphant, half manic visage of the viking teen Tengan least wanted to see. "You were quite the actress." Dagur smirked, hand gripping the bars. "Practically begging me to take you with me. All the while working with Hiccup to play me like a fool." His face twisted with rage.

Tengan's brow furrowed. "Who says it was an act? I was telling the truth, Dagur. I really did want to travel back to your homeland with you." She smiled serenely at his confused expression, not bothering to stop the blood from dripping down her forehead and across her eye. "I wanted to see for myself how a revered and respected tribe could produce a pathetic excuse for a chief like you!"

Dagur, face contorted with fury, lunged at the bars, his fist connecting with the metal. The sound rang through the dark corridor. "How DARE you! You little-" A low growl reverberated the air around the trio, cutting off whatever insult he was about to spit at the bleeding girl before him. His features relaxed, his eyes locked onto her as he spoke to Alvin. "Tell me, why did you put her in there with the Skrill?"

Tengan's body went rigid, her innards feeling as if they rapidly twisted and cooled. She knew she was in no shape to dodge it, weakened or not. If she angered it at all….. She gulped as another large drop of blood cascaded from her face and onto the floor. Listening closely, she could hear the dragon's deep breathing behind her; the slithering of its scales across the floor. She was certain she could feel it's hot breath as the head swung out to sniff at her open wound on her scalp.

Alvin, unperturbed by her fearful expression, bristled at Dagur's accusation. "The beast wouldn't let us drag it near any of the cells until we threw her in one. Then, it practically ran my men over chasing her in. We thought it might eat her. Hasn't yet."

"Idiot," Dagur murmured under his breath, finally tearing his gaze away from Tengan. "Dragons don't eat people. But if it maims her we've lost our hostage." A tense moment passed between him and the Outcast chief before the smaller viking's face flickered to house an unconvincingly innocent smile. "No matter! Let my weapon have his toy for now. Soon it won't matter."

"It's only yours after you deliver me Berk, Dagur. Don't you forget that." Alvin growled, turning away from the cell.

"Of course!" The berserker teen's eerie smile only widened as he followed Alvin into the gloom, taking the lightsource with him. The cell slipped into semi darkness as the lantern receded.

Tengan almost called out to them to come back, to beg them not to leave her tapped with a homicidal dragon. The Skrill was still huffing in her ear, it's jawline a hair's breadth away from bumping her face. She waited several long, terrifying heartbeats for it to roar or bite. Instead, it vocalized softly; a long almost questioning coo. At the same time, it swung its tail around her and stretched its neck out to peer at her out of one glowing eye. The pupil darted between her own and the nasty wound.

"Don't worry" she murmured before she could stop to question her situation. "I'll be alright I think." She shifted her weight with the intent to stand but succumbed to a wave of vertigo. Moaning, she fell back, bracing for impact with the hard stone. Instead, she fell into the dragon's firm, scaly side. It was oddly warm, and seemed to almost vibrate where their skin touched.

The Skrill, cooing again, brought its tail in tighter around her body and folded one massive wing over her prone form. Warmth flooded her limbs, restoring a little of her strength. The little sliver of light that shone in the gap between its wing and body was quickly replaced with a concerned eye.

"You weren't completely unconscious in the water were you?" Tengan murmured quietly, bringing one hand up to stroke the wing membrane before her. "You remember me helping?" Her voice cracked, throat exceptionally dry. A long look preceded a slow blink as a deep hum resonated in the dragon's chest. "Alright, well, if we're going to keep protecting each other I should give you a name. What about Crackle?"

The eye narrowed in response.

"No, I guess not. Too obvious." She sat quietly for a moment, simply enjoying the way her muscles relaxed in her headed cocoon. "What about Flashbang? Blastzone? Scorchmark? Rumble?"

A deep rumble shook the dragon's body as his eye closed momentarily.

"Rumble? Yeah I like that one too." She closed her eyes, simply feeling the hums of pleasure resonating through Rumble and into her. Despite her wet clothes and throbbing head she felt her body relaxing. In that moment, all the urgency of their situation seemed to melt away. Her breathing had eased and her eyes drifted shut. A quick nap couldn't hurt. Then they would figure out how to escape…..

Rumble growled sharply, jerking his body in an attempt to jostle her awake.

Tengan galred at the dragon, meeting its narrowed gaze evenly. "Just five minutes. Please. I'm so tired." She made a move to wipe her eyes and froze. The entire left side of her face was slick with blood. Gingerly, she traced the edges of the gash. "You're right, I can't sleep with this head wound untreated." She straightened into a proper sitting position as Rumble removed his wing. Under his keen glare, she tore at the hem of her shirt, refusing to think about when she'd be able to trade for fabric or a replacement. A dry chuckle escaped as she realized she was worried about clothes in a life or death situation. The chuckle turned into a cough that shook her entire body. As she doubled over from the fit, something bumped into her elbow.

"Wha?" she peered through teary eyes at the water bucket Rumble had nudged into her. With a smile of thanks she plunged her head into the water, gulping greedily before the blood on her face could taint the supply. Only when her lungs cried for air did she emerge. "Thanks, Rumble." She croaked. Gently, she poured water over her wound and lightly scrubbed with the pads of her fingers until most of the gore had been washed away. Before the bleeding could worsen, she bound the strip of cloth over the wound, securing it as tightly as she could with feeble arms.

"Alright. That's the best I can do for now." She struggled to her feet, grabbing into the Skrill's neck and back spines for support. "Let's focus on getting out of here." She looked around the cell. Besides the bucket of now bloody water, it was empty. Turning her attention to the bars, they seemed to be made of a reinforced metal similar to what the stalls back on Berk used. It seemed they weren't making it out of there without someone opening the cell from the outside.

"Ok, Rumble. I think I have a plan." She murmured, just in case someone was close enough to overhear. "Lie down, on your side if you can." She gestured her hands towards the floor, hoping the dragon would take the hint. A sigh of relief escaped her as Rumble settled down on his belly. Gently, she guided his head to the floor. "Close your eyes and wait until you hear that door open." She whispered, gently cupping her hands over the Skrill's eyes. When they remained closed she carefully tipped the bucket over so the ruby water formed a large puddle under his chin.

Hiding the bucket, Tengan gave Rumble one final glance before throwing herself at the bars. "HELP! PLEASE! THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DRAGON! IT'S DYING!" She screeched as loud as she could, ignoring the pain in her throat. Her screams were quickly rewarded when two guards thundered into view. "Oh thank goodness! It-it just collapsed! Please, don't let it die! Do something!" When the guards hesitated she added "If you won't help it, get Dagur! He would never let the Skrill suffer like this!"

That did the trick. The guards scrambled to unlock the door. Swinging it wide open they filed in and approached the dragon, weapons raised cautiously.

Tengan flung herself past them, vaulting onto Rumble's back and settling herself behind the spine just before the wing joints. "Now, Rumble!" she called.

With a furious roar, the Skrill reared onto its feet and spun in a tight circle, using its tail to bludgeon the shocked guards. Once they were dispatched, he squeezed out the cell door, crouching low to avoid bumping Tengan off his back.

"Let's get out of here." She cheered, reaching down to pat his side. Her body seemed to fill with increasing energy the longer she was on his back.

Rumble hummed in agreement, starting at a trot down the largest hallway.

Tengan simply held on, it seemed her dragon remembered which way it had been dragged in and the subsequent way out. Her eyes squinted at the sudden brightness as they emerged into what she could only describe as a horrid mockery of the Dragon Training Academy's arena back on Berk. Surrounding them were dozens of vikings, all momentarily dumbstruck at the sight of the girl riding the Skrill.

"STOP THEM!" Dagur cried, having recovered from the surprise first. "Don't let her get away with my Skrill!"

"Over there!" She called, angling her body to her right. The door to the arena was somehow, blessedly still open. "Go Rumble!"

The Skrill, following her gaze, roared in agreement before charging, head down, towards the opening. Several vikings dove out of the way of his frenzied sprint. Those that didn't were bowled over, bodies flung in the air.

They were only a few steps from freedom when something caught Tengan's arm, ripping her from her perch. She cried out in surprise and pain as two arms, strong as iron, wound around her, holding her in place. "L-Let go!"

Rumble, feeling the disturbance, skidded to a halt as the Outcasts began to close the arena door. He roared at Tengan's captor, teeth flashing dangerously.

"No! Rumble go! Get out of here!" she shouted back as the opening and their chance at freedom shrank. She wiggled in her captor's embrace feebly, the adrenaline from their flight flowing steadily from her.

"Oh no. It looks like I've got something you want." Dagur grinned maliciously at the Skrill, never once loosening his cruel grip. "Are you going to just abandon her? Hmm?"

With one final glance at the rapidly closing door, Rumble snarled at the Berserker chief and charged, wings half raised.

Dagur waited until the last second before sidestepping the charge, dragging Tengan along with him. He smirked as the Skrill thundered right past them and into a waiting iron collar.

"No!" Tengan cried out as several of the vikings still on their feet pulled on the chains attached to the collar, forcing Rumble to the ground. "Let him go!"

"Now why would I do that?" Dagur hummed in her ear, turning them both so she could get a better look at the trapped dragon. "He belongs to me. I'm actually a bit impressed you managed to get on his good side so quickly. It seems you'll be useful after all." He tossed her aside to one of his aiting men. "Bind and gag her. She'll be coming along to make sure the dragon behaves." He strode up to the chained Skrill, smirking down at the snarling beast. "Not to worry, baby. When we get you all harnessed up, you'll be free to strike anyone you want. Or, more precisely, anyone I want."

Tengan's eyes scanned the arena frantically for something, anything that could help. Her eyes landed on a familiar, grumpy face. "Mildew! Help! Please, don't let them do this! We have to-" she was cut off as a filthy rag was crammed into her mouth.

"Mildew's been working for us for months now, girlie." Alvin sneered at her. "Those Whispering Death eggs? All his idea. You've got no one. So just settle down and do as you're told." He finished with a snarl.

Dagur laughed maniacally. "There's a storm brewing! Get the Skrill harnessed up and her" he gestured towards the gagged Tengan. "tied to my ship's mast. It's time we visited my dear brother and his little Night Fury."

"Remember Dagur." Alvin growled. "The Skrill isn't yours until after the attack on Berk."

"Of course. " Dagur nodded his head. "Why don't we go and hammer out a few of those details now?"

As the two chiefs wandered off to speak, Tengan made frantic eye contact with Rumble, who was being wrestled into a cage. Her struggles growing weaker by the moment, she fought the guard as he marched her out of the arena, down to the docks, and onto Dagur's main ship. She all but flopped onto the deck, too tired to resist as the guard bound her feet and hands together before securing the ropes to the mast. Blinking back tears, she mentally fought against the hopelessness of her situation. The Skrill was captured, Berk was in danger, and she could do nothing to help any of the people and dragons she had grown to care for. She silently hoped Hiccup and the others had made it back safely and were able to warn Stoick.

She was shaken from her pity party less than an hour later when several large Berserkers dragged Rumble onto the ship and tied him down not far from where she was bound. She strained against her bindings as tightly as she could, looking the dragon over for any marks or injuries.

Through the heavy leather muzzle, Rumble growled soothingly in his chest, leaning as close to her ashe could as well. They came several feet short, but the closer distance seemed to ease some of the stress in the dragon.

Tengan stiffened as the Berserkers began prepping the ship to take off. Listening intently, she caught snatches of conversation as the vikings bustled by.

"-told to be ready for departure."

"Dagur said he doesn't-"

"-seen what that Skrill did to-"

"-going straight to Berk once he's on board."

Tengan flinched as a pair of heavy boots landed on the deck next to her. Craning her neck, she glared up at Dagur's smirking form. Several graphic descriptions of his character tried to fight their way through her gag, only to come out as muffled, angry noises.

"Now now, all's fair in love and war. And I love war." the Berserker chief cackled. "Shove off! We sail for Berk immediately!"

They had scarcely made it a quarter of the way when another ship cut across their path. Tengan, who had been gazing at Rumble most of their journey, tilted her head in an attempt to hear the shouted conversation across the boats.

"We had a deal Dagur!" the faint, echoing voice of Alvin floated over the deck.

"The Skrill was never yours!" Dagur hollered back confidently. "It's on my sail, my belt buckle, my shields! It always belonged to me! So, about your deal. I just changed the terms!" With a single swing of his axe, Dagur released one of the ropes binding Rumble to the deck and severed the straps on his muzzle.

The Skrill soared fifteen feet into the air, only to be stopped abruptly by the numerous other ropes and chains the Berserkers harness consisted of.

Alvin, in a fit of rage, leapt from his ship and onto Dagur's, coming down on the smaller chief with a fury of blows. "I'll cut you to pieces!" He shouted.

"You'll try" was the teen's snarky response as he drew his own weapon.

Tengan was forced to watch with reluctant admiration of the swordsmanship on display. She squeaked through her gag once or twice as the blows came close to her. Each time they did, Rumble would roar and swoop down on the fighting duo as close and his bonds would allow, driving them back with a buffeting of his wings.

"It was never yours!" Dagur cried out, axe swinging with frenzied speed. "It was ours! Always ours!"

Through the rigning steel, battle cries of the warring chiefs, and Rumble's warning growls, Tengan barely caught the roar of a familiar dragon directly above her. Tilting her head back as far as her bonds would allow, relief spread through her as she spied Hiccup and the twins circling far overhead. Before she could try to get their attention, she was bumped as Dagur sprinted past to grab the two large ropes attached to Rumble's collar.

"It's time you did some running!" the Berserker cried with a harsh yank on the ropes.

Rumble roared with pain, his stored lightning crackling in his maw as it let loose in the direction his head had been forced into.

Tengan shied away as blast after blast came raining down on Alvin, who was forced to roll and leap out of the way. She watched wide eyed as Alvin, finally running out of options, dove into the sea in a desperate attempt to flee. She shut her eyes as Dagur forced Rumble to fire once more, wishing she could close her ears to the crackling sound that came off the water. She opened her eyes again just in time to see Savage and the other outcasts pledge their swords to Dagur. When she chanced another look at the sky, Hiccup and the twins had disappeared. 'They didn't see me.' She thought weakly, sagging against the mast.

"Oh, why the long face Tengan?" Dagur smirked down at her. "Isn't this what you wanted? To witness the greatest vikings history has ever seen?" He leaned in close, his lips near her ear. "Pay close attention, I want to read about this day in one of your little journals."

Tengan glared back at him, the gag the only stopping her from spitting in his face. She would be dead in the ground before she ever let him drink from the fountain of her collected knowledge.

"I like the fire in your eyes." He taunted. "Oh yes, we're going to have a great time, the three of us." He tugged hardly on Rumble's lead, forcing a pained roar from the dragon.

Tengan, thoroughly exhausted, could only watch as the Berserkers dragged Rumble down to the deck of the ship, securely muzzling him once more. Either as a sick joke, or for some form of twisted reward for Rumble's defeat of Alvin, Dagur had allowed the dragon enough slack on his line so he could reach Tengan, although she received no extra privileges. She simply had to settle with Rumble being able to place his large head in her lap, growling threateningly at any crew member who strayed too close on their voyage back to outcast island.

"Both armadas are being readied for the attack, Dagur." Savage reported. "They should be prepared to set sail within the next couple hours."

"Why wait!" Hiccup called out from above them. "I'm right here Dagur! Me and my Night Fury!"

"Hiccup." Dagur snarled.

"I thought we could settle this like real vikings" Hiccup continued. "Just you and me."

While Savage tried desperately to convince Dagur not to fall for the bait, Tengan began frantically wriggling and screaming through her gag, dislodging Rumble from his perch. The dragon's head swiveled towards the new threat, growling. For a moment, Tengan's eyes met Hiccup's, who nodded once. She sagged in relief. They had seen her.

It seemed the taunt found its mark, for Dagur released the excess leads on Rumble, who launched into the air towards Hiccup and Toothless. "Me and my Skrill against you and your Night Fury? I like those odds." With a harsh flick of the ropes, Dagur urged Rumble forward, dragged airborn by the dragon's strength.

Tengan watched wide eyed as the two circled around to face each off atop the seaside cliffs. She wasn't the only one distracted by the showdown. Every warrior was so enthralled by the dueling dragons, not one noticed when a Nadder, her rider, and a Terrible Terror landed softly on the deck.

Kelp, crying out at the sight of his partner, scrambled over to her and began working on the ropes binding her. Unfortunately, his exclamation only allotted him time to separate her from the mast before one of the guards turned to see them.

Astrid, noticing the situation, had Stormfly leap forward to engage with the warriors while she hoisted Tengan to her feet. "We'll have to untie you in the air. It's too dangerous down here."

Tengan nodded weakly and let Astrid help her into Stormfly's saddle. As the Nadder took off, Kelp followed, frantically chewing on the ropes binding her wrists together.

"Hiccup is going to get the Skrill free from Dagur!" Astrid called over her shoulder as Stormfly veered away from a volley of arrows and a couple spears. "We have to get you out of here before it attacks!"

The second Kelp bit through the last of the bindings on her wrists and stared on her ankles, Tengan yanked the foul gag from her mouth. "Wait, Astrid, you have to turn around I-" the rest of her words were lost in a deafening roar.

Rumble, newly freed from Dagur, was desperately winging towards the pair, his eyes locked on Tengan.

Stormfly, no doubt remembering the beating he had given her only yesterday, executed a tight barrel roll to avoid him.

Tengan grabbed Kelp with one arm and Astrid with the other in an effort to stay on as her bound feet made it impossible to sit properly in the saddle.

"Hang on! Woah Stormfly!" Astrid called again as Sotrmfly, fully panicking, twisted, dove and zig-zagged to escape her pursuer.

Rumble was close behind them, the rest of the riders trailing behind him in pursuit. He began to close the gap, still roaring with all the force he could muster.

Stormfly dove towards the water, spinning wildly once more. Tengan, unable to fully get a grip on both her Terror and Astrid, surrendered to the spin. Wrapping both arms around Kelp, she let herself be flung out of the saddle and towards the ocean.

"No!" Hiccup called, urging Toothless in a dive to catch her.

Rumble was closer. Diving past the Nadder, he stretched out his talons and caught Tengan a dozen feet from the water's surface. Pulling out of the dive, he glided over to a nearby sea stack and set her down gently. The second she was safely situated on the rock, he spun around and roared defiantly at the approaching riders, his wings protectively spread over Tengan and Kelp.

"Wait, is he?" Fishlegs asked as he urged Meatlug to stop.

"Protecting her?" Snotlout finished the question.

"Guys we're ok! But you need to back off a bit." Tengan's weak voice came from under Rumble's bulk. She glanced down at the windswept Kelp. "You ok, little one?" When he squeaked in affirmation, she let him get to work on the bindings still holding her legs together. Newly freed, Tengan stood and slowly ran her hands along Rumble's sides and up to his collar. Finding the release, she removed the heavy bit of metal and tossed it into the ocean, straps and all. "It's ok, Rumble" she whispered. "I know Hiccup wasn't very nice to you before but they're my friends. They won't hurt you or me." She lifted her head to mee the confused faces of her friends. "It's alright, you can approach slowly."

Rumble curled his lip in a snarl. Before he could muster an attack, Kelp fluttered into his direct line of sight and vocalized shrilly. Although the meaning escaped Tengan entirely, Rumble seemed to understand, for his stance softened and he allowed Kelp to perch atop his head, just in front of his crest of spikes.

One by one the group landed, staying as far away from Rumble as the sea stack allowed. The Skrill eyed each with varying levels of distrust, only relaxing when Tengan began to smooth out the scales bent by Dagur's harsh treatment.

"Ok, what just happened." Tuffnut began.

"Yeah, I thought that thing was vicious and, you know, cool." Ruffnut added.

"I'd like the whole story myself." Hiccup nodded. "But it looks like you could use some rest and a visit to Gothi first, Tengan."

The curly haired girl nodded, checking the bandage on her head. "That sounds perfect." Slowly, and only with the help of Rumble and Kelp, Tengan clambered onto the Skrill's back one more time. "Follow Kelp, Rumble. He knows the way back." She murmured into his ear.

Kelp chirped before taking off, circling around his trainer and newest companion. With a low gutteral noise, Rumble took off to follow, his eyes still warily darting to the other dragons as they took up formation around her.

"I can't wait to start testing the Skrill!" Fishlegs squealed. "There's shot limits, jaw strength, the eel response test-"

"His name's Rumble." Tengan added weakly, an exhausted smile on her face.

"Rumble, eh? Not bad." Snotlout gave her a thumbs up.

"Once you're back in fighting shape you and I have got to race." Astrid asserted. "Rumble was able to keep up with Stormfly at almost every turn!"

Tengan nodded along with whatever the others were saying as they slowly made their way back to Berk. While her head still felt incredibly fuzzy, and her limbs heavier than iron, her heart felt significantly lighter than she could ever remember. "Although, that could be due to the blood loss." she murmured dryly to herself as the village broke into few along the distant horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot! That closes Tengan and Dagur's third encounter. Wonder how he'll take the news that not only did "his" Skrill get away, one of Hiccup's precious riders now has it as her companion....


	12. Scars

"Gothi, it's been three days." Tengan tried to suppress the whine in her voice. "I'm feeling much better. I haven't felt lightheaded at all since yesterday, I promise!" She sat up in the spare cot Gothi had pressed her into the moment they landed back on Berk. Cramped between Gothi's bed and shelves stocked with medicinal herbs and remedies it wasn't the most spacious recovery space. However, Tengan couldn't have wished for a more meticulous nursemaid to treat her head wound. She had lost more blood than she originally thought and, although expertly stitched, the wound would leave quite the ugly scar.

Gothi tottered over to the cot, squinting suspiciously at the teen. She poked the puckered skin around her stitches, frowning slightly. Pulling out a small clay pot, she dabbed a strong smelling green ointment around the stitches before standing back and nodding once.

"You mean it?" Tengan brightened, throwing her blanket aside.

Gothi nodded again before gesturing to the window. As if on cue, Rumble and Kelp stuck their heads through the small opening. Both dragons gurgled questioningly, trying to discern the cause of their rider's elation. In his curiosity, Rumble swung his head around, sending several clay containers flying off the table under the window. Gothi dove after them, catching two. The rest cluttered to the floor, where one broke open, spilling dried seaweed powder over the wooden floor.

Tengan flinched as the pot broke open. "Fair enough. We'll get out of your hair." She stood, pausing to help clean up her dragons' mess. "Thanks again for everything Gothi. I promise we'll bring back any medicinal plants we find to help restock." With a quick hug, Tengan shuffled out the door. "Let's go boys! It's still early enough. We should be able to catch the others at the Academy!"

Retracting their heads from Gothi's hut, the two dragons roared with agreement. Kelp fluttered over to land on Tengan's shoulder, nuzzling the uninjured side of her head. Rumble rustled his scales and extended one wing.

With a smile and a scratch under Kelp's chin, Tengan scrambled onto Rumble's back, taking a moment to settle herself in between two neck spikes. Her smile broke into a grin as Rumble threw himself off of the cliff Gothi's hut perched on, wings partially unfurled as they tipped into a dive. A laugh bubbled from her as the wind tore through her hair.

Kelp, catching the wind in his wings, lifted off her shoulders as Rumble followed suit. The larger dragon, sensing the shift in his rider's weight, turned towards the center of town. Every now and again he would flap to maintain altitude, sending a small gust buffeting into Kelp.

"Where are they?" Tengan murmured to herself as they circled above the arena. It was completely empty. In fact, it looked like nothing had been touched since they took off in pursuit of Rumble earlier that week.

A joyous roar reverberated the air around them as Toothless soared into view. "Tengan!" Hiccup cried out. "I was just at Gothi's looking for you."

"She just released me!" Tengan called back, placing a hand on Rumble's shoulder to steady the Skrill as he wheeled about in the air, lip curling at the Night Fury. Even after the flight back with the others, Rumble still seemed tense around the Riders. None of the others, Kelp excluded, could even land near Gothi's hut while she was on bedrest. "Where are the others?"

"We've been working on something." Hiccup rubbed the back of his head, avoiding eye contact. "Follow me!" Urging Toothless into a tight loop, the pair started off towards the village.

"Easy now, Rumble. You know they don't mean any of us harm." Tengan rubbed soothing circles into his neck as they flew after the pair. Kelp, taking full advantage of his larger friend, landed on Rumble's head, curling his tail around a neck spine. The dragons lazily angled over the village towards the outer edges, their riders waving back at the vikings sounding greetings as they passed. "Why are we heading towards Mildew's old place?"

"Well, seeing as Mildew most likely won't be needing it anymore we've been working on making it useful again." Hiccup urged Toothless towards the open field. "It's been rough. We spent a day just airing out the smell of the place. Not to mention the Dragon Root we found in the field."

Tengan touched down next to Hiccup, attention fixated on the transformed house. The older roof had been completely replaced, a covered extension was added to the side, the sheep pen had been cleared out, and the front door had been fixed. "Wow! Looks great. What are we going to use it for?"

"Aw come on!" Astrid's voice rang out as she landed in the newly cleared field. Stormfly's saddlebags were bulging. "I thought we were going to show her together!"

"I thought it was a surprise, Hiccup!" Snotlout hollered as Hookfang touched down, his saddlebags also packed to the brim.

"Aw man, you told her?" Fishlegs pouted as Meatlug thudded to a halt, panting from the heavy load of logs strapped to her beck. "We're not even done with the desk…"

"What is all this about?" Tengan asked, half distracted by Rumble who had begun to growl. "Something about a surprise?" She glanced up quickly before sliding off of Rumble's back to rub calming circles along his face with her fingertips. "Hush now." She quietly scolded the dragons. "They were my friends before we met. They'd never hurt either of us and you need to get along." Her gaze softened as the Skrill's head dipped, muscles relaxing. "Sorry about that guys." She returned her attention to the group. "He's been a bit of a handful. I think part of the reason Gothi released me today was so she didn't have to deal with Rumble growling every time she checked the stitches. What was this about a surprise? Who's it for?"

"Oh, they mean how we've spent the last three days redoing Mildew's house so you can have it." Tuffnut stated flatly as Barf and Belch joined the throng.

"Tuff!" Astrid called out, throwing her fists to her hips.

"What?" Ruffnut interjected. "Is that not what we've been doing? Adding a dragon stall for Rumble, making a new bed, getting all those shelves put in…" She counted the projects off on her fingers.

Tengan's head whipped from the twins to each of her friends in turn, taking a moment to study their saddlebags more closely. She recognized snippets of her own handwriting from the scrolls peeking out from Stormfly's bags. "Are you guys serious?"

Hiccup sighed, head in his hand. "Yes. Although clearly the surprise didn't go as planned." He lifted his head, smiling sheepishly. "We all just figured…."

"That my living room was getting much too small." Astrid cut in.

"Especially since you found a dragon." Snotlout added. "Although if you get lonely out here at night….."

"She'll have Rumble to keep her company." Hiccup cut across him sharply.

"We all pitched in." Fishlegs piped up, unburdening Meatlug of her load. "We were going to build the desk today and put your supplies away but-"

"Well?" Tuffnut grinned down at her. "Do you like it or what?"

Tengan stared at the house for several moments. The door, freshly painted, displayed the Dragon Academy symbol. Her eyes trailed to Rumble's stall built alongside. They had pressed it up against one of the windows so he could slide his head in whenever he wanted. "I…. It's…" it was suddenly hard to speak. Blinking rapidly, she found herself somehow squished in the center of the teens. "Thank you guys." She murmured, happy none of them could see the tears prickling at the corner of her eyes in the jumbled mess of a hug.

The dragons, not to be ignored for too long, stuck their snouts into the cluster one by one. Rumble watched for several moments, head cocked to the side. Only after Kelp fluttered over to the teens did he shuffle forward, humming deeply in his chest.

Tengan never asked, but she was sure the others spent the few days on or near the island to give her more time to recover. Not that there wasn't anything to occupy their time. Between Fishlegs and Hiccup creating, in their words, the "perfect writing desk for any dragon rider", Gobber measuring and crafting a saddle for Rumble, and Tengan running her dragons through basic training maneuvers, she barely had enough time to jot down her findings at the end of her night. Although, once the desk was completed, she had to admit it was much easier to keep all of her supplies organized. The boys had even gifted her a couple new journals and rolls of parchment from Johann's latest shipment, one of which lay rolled open. On it, several paragraphs of her observations on Rumble's behaviors were scribbled. Apparently, so little was known of his kind that they were planning on adding all she learned to the Book of Dragons.

The extra space her new home provided was very much appreciated as the Riders slowly fell back into their routine. Between Gustav pestering the older teens, regular scouting missions to keep an eye out for the Screaming Death, Speed Stingers traveling on ice flows, and the unfortunate discovery of Dragon Root, free time has been all but nonexistent. Not to mention the regular recon flights to keep an eye on Dagur. Despite her best arguments, Hiccup and Stoick had outright forbade her and Rumble to fly these missions seeing as the Berserkers had no idea the Skrill was in her possession. It was almost a relief when a freak storm hit the island. Forced to stay inside for the day, Tengan had utilized the time to catch up on her increasingly scattered and outdated notes.

At the moment, Kelp was snoozing in his small hammock stretched over Tengan's bed while Rumble had his head and neck crammed through the window connecting the hut to his stall. His orange eyes were unfocused and half lidded. No matter how often his rider insisted, the Skrill always refused to retire for the night until she had snuffed out all the candles and went to bed. While touching, it also meant the cold air could creep into the house though the open window. Luckily Rumble's whip-like tail had been most adept at falling trees for firewood. They went through more logs in one day than Tengan could recall Astrid's family using in three or four.

"What was the recipe for the eel pox medicine again?" Tengan rubbed the heels of her palms into her eyes. Her head whipped up as Rumble perked up, snuffling hopefully. "Oh, no I'm sorry Rumble. I don't have any eels for you right now." She scratched the dragon under his chin until he settled back into his half-asleep daze. Of course she had to have bonded with the one dragon that actually ate eels. It had been a trial to keep him from swallowing all the ones they collected for the cure a couple weeks ago. Chuckling to herself, Tengan shifted a few papers aside, extracting the incomplete list of effects on non-eel eating dragons out from under a quick facts page on Smothering Smokebreaths.

It was only when she had read the same sentence three times without absorbing it that Tengan admitted defeat. They had to be up early for ambush training the next day anyway. Snuffing out the candles, she gave Rumble a quick kiss on the snout before turning in. The larger dragon, sighing in apparent relief, extracted his head to settle comfortably on the floor of his stall. Kelp simply rolled over in his sleep, snoring out small puffs of grey smoke. "Goodnight boys." She whispered into the darkness. Through the wooden walls, she felt the vibrations of Rumble's reply as she drifted off.

Morning always seemed to come too quickly. After dressing, setting breakfast out for the dragons, scarfing down a few bites of cold mutton herself, and failing to convince the comfortable Terror that some exercise would do his wings good, Tengan left on Rumble, only pausing to give Kelp clear instructions not to burn any of her notes while they were at training.

Pulling alongside the others in the Academy, she yawned behind her hand as Hiccup explained the path they'd take through the patch of forest adjacent to town.

"Any questions?" Hiccup concluded as the team took to the sky.

"Why are we doing this before the sun is even completely up?" Snotlout murmured more to himself than anyone else.

Stifling a chuckle, Tengan almost missed the gleam of the first catapult in the trees. Almost. "Rumble! Left!" She cried, tugging hard on the front lip of the saddle. The Skrill responded almost immediately, tucking his wings and rolling out of the way as the boulders flew past. Fighting the swirling sensation in her stomach, Tengan's eyes refocused as Hiccup and Toothless blasted through the projectile aiming for the Night Fury's chest. She was rather impressed with Meatlug's jaw strength as the Gronkle bit through a boulder larger than her rider's head.

"Fall back everyone!" HIccup cried after several volleys. "Good maneuvering but there's too many!"

"You fall back!" Snotlout cried, apparently fully awake at last. "I'm finishing this!" He urged Hookfang onward, grinning wildly.

"Snotlout, no! That's not the point of the exercise!" Hiccup yelled at the pair.

Tengan slowed Rumble to a hover and could only watch, wide eyed, as Snotlout and Hookfang dive bombed Gobber, Bucket, Mulch, and the few others who had volunteered their morning to help the Riders practice. The blast sent a boulder flying wildly, zooming past several of the dragons before striking Astrid square between the shoulders. With a muted grunt she sagged in Stormfly's saddle before slipping off, plummeting towards the ground.

"Astrid, no!" Hiccup screamed as he dove to catch her. The rest of the group held their breath, only releasing it when Hiccup landed with Astrid's limp form. She was still breathing, if only shallowly.

"What were you thinking!" Fishlegs rounded on Snotlout as they landed beside Toothless, his voice uncharacteristically fierce.

"He wasn't" Tuffnut stated flatly, a thin frown tugging at his lips.

Tengan slid off Rumble's back and knelt on the ground near the unconscious teen. "It looks like the wind was knocked out of her. She should be coming around soon." She reached out to steady herself against Toothless, finding her limbs were shaking slightly.

As if on cue, Astrid cracked her eyes open, squinting in the sunlight. "What happened?" She gasped as Stormly bent her head low, cooing urgently.

"Woohoo!" Snotlout crowed, thudding to a landing near the cluster of teens. "That's how you do it! Snotlout doesn't retreat!" He thrust his arms into the air, a broad grin slapped on his face.

It was a mark of how serious the situation was when both Ruff and Tuff shook their heads disapprovingly, arms folded against their chests.

Tengan shifted an arm under Astrid's shoulders, slowly helping her sit up. "Can you take a deep breath?" She asked softly. The blond tried to comply, but winced as her lungs filled.

Hiccup's face contorted with rage as he spun on the spot. "You have no idea what you just did!" He bellowed, advancing on Snotlout. "You almost got Astrid KILLED!"

Snotlout scoffed. "Comeon, she's fine." He deflected. "Look at her."

"No thanks…. to you." She wheezed, fighting to get on her feet despite the combined support of Tengan and Fishlegs on either side of her. "I'm going to kill you!"

Sensing the tension in her limbs, Tengan just managed to keep a hold on Astrid's arm as she lunged for Snotlout's neck. "Fishlegs, a little help!" she wheezed as she fought to keep her struggling friend from latching onto her target. Even with the two of them and Astrid's weakened state, it was still a difficult task to keep the blonde under control.

Hiccup's frustrations, though better controlled, seemed to match Astrid's. "That's it I'm tired of this! You always have to do things your way!"

"Yeah?" Snotlout advanced on the one legged rider. "Well, I look out for number one!"

"Exactly!" Hiccup shouted. "How can we ever rely on you if you won't do what we ask? Until further notice, you're suspended from the Academy! You're grounded."

The group froze, several mouths dripping in shock. It had been a running joke as to whether Snotlout or the twins would be suspended first but none of them had actually believed Hiccup would ever go through with it.

"You can't do that!" Snotlout cried out desperately. "Ground this, dragon boy!" He taunted as he clambered into Hookfang's saddle, urging the Monstrous Nightmare to take off.

The group silently watched him depart for several moments, all eyes flickering between Hiccup and the retreating dragon. Astrid, finally stable, broke the silence. "You didn't have to do that for me." She murmured.

"If we can't trust him during practice how can we possibly count on him the next time we run into Dagur?" Hiccup turned to face the group, his brow furrowed. "Let's head back to the Academy and run drills the rest of the morning. Astrid, you guide them. I don't want you to overexert yourself today."

Astrid bit her lip and inhaled to argue. The quick movement caused her to flinch. "...Alright. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to help Gobber and the others salvage whatever Snotlout hasn't destroyed." Hiccup turned to the cluster of catapults. "I'll catch up with you all later."

The rest of the day and following morning were, to put it mildly, awkward. Astrid continued to wince, thankfully with less frequency, every time she had to inhale sharply or bark an order. The twins surprisingly made the day quite easy for her, although they did continuously elaborate on plans to combine Hookfang's now empty pen in the arena with Barf and Belch's.

"Guys that's not going to happen." Hiccup said for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Why not?" Tuffnut asked over his shoulder, not even bothering to pause in his measurements of the wall between the pens.

"Yeah it's not like Snotlout will be able to come back." Ruffnut continued. "He's still out flying. The only option you have left is permanent expulsion."

"That, or risk losing the respect of the entire Academy." Tuffnut interjected, chuckling to himself.

"They actually have a point." Astrid mused, stretching her arms over her head, pausing to wince once and only once at the apex of her maneuver.

Hiccup sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Not helping, Astrid. Alright, alright. I will talk to Snoutlout when he gets back." Stomping back to Toothless, Hiccup urged the dragon to take off towards the sea stacks.

Tengan tracked the black smudge against the blue sky for several moments, hand idly massaging Kelp's back. "What are the chances Snotlout actually listens this time?" She murmured more to herself than anyone else.

"Less than zero." Fishlegs answered, absentmindedly flipping a small, flat stone between his fingers before tossing it into Meatlug's waiting mouth.

"Alright, let's not get lazy!" Astrid called out. "I already missed most of a day's worth of training. Let's get those tails into the air and work on inverted evasive maneuvers."

With minimal groaning, the teens took to the air to practice. Tengan silently thanked her lucky stars that Rumble's back spines grew so tall and relatively close together. Even with his impressive speed and flexibility, she still found herself slipping out of the saddle during slower rolls. In those moments, looping her arm around a neck spine granted her enough purchase to just hang on. Poor Fishlegs had been snatched out of the air after losing his grip three times before Astrid called the exercise to a halt.

"Never again!" The Gronkle rider cried out as the flock angled towards the center of town. He still shook slightly whenever Meatlug made an abrupt turn or dip in elevation.

"What's going on down there?" Tengan shouted to the group, pointing at the large crowd gathered in the town square. "Is there a festival or event happening today?" She rummaged quickly though Rumble's saddlebags for a scrap of parchment.

"No. There shouldn't be." Astrid answered, eyes narrowed. "Let's go check it out."

The group circled low over the crowd clustered around what looked to be Hookfang and two riders. As the people shifted, small details of the larger of the pair could be seen.

Tengan's blood froze and she veered away sharply, chest heaving. Rumble, sensing his rider's panic began growling, skin cracking with electricity. Kelp followed closely, a smaller, yet still disconcerting growl bubbling in his throat.

"Woah!" Fishlegs called as the Skrill shot past him. "Tengan what's wrong?"

Tengan continued to hyperventilate, one hand reaching up to touch the jagged, puckered scar across her forehead. "I don't know how or why. But that's Alvin the Treacherous sitting on Hookfang!" Fighting to remain calm, she had Rumble hang back from the group, high in the air as the others crowded in. She refused to land until the crowd amassed in the Great Hall, putting several walls of bodies between her and the ex Outcast leader. Even then, she stuck close to Rumble and Astrid, hands trembling as she took careful notes of the meeting from the doorway.

"What's got you so shaken?" Astrid whispered. "We've dealt with Alvin a number of times. Besides, he's not as crazy as Dagur." The blond nudged her friend gently.

"No, he's worse." Tengan hissed back, eyes locked onto the hulking form locked in irons. "Dagur is unhinged but easy to manage. Alvin is something else….." She took a steadying breath. "He tried to feed me to Rumble that night. Sounded disappointed when I survived. I thought he drowned when Dagur forced Rumble to strike the water..."

"So did I." Astrid started. Her rebuttal was cut short by Gobber's booming voice filling the hall.

"Alvin the Treacherous! You stand accused of treachery, attempted treachery, premeditated treachery, conspiring to commit treachery, and all other forms of treachery!" he glared at the accused viking, hooked hand shaking threateningly. Several others in the hall filled it with their cries for blood and vengeance. Even the dragons could feel the tension; several curled their lips and Rumble had to quench a crackling bolt of lightning building in his throat.

Stoick silenced the crowd with a raised hand, his eyes as dark as the mob's suggestions on how to handle the traitor. "Alvin, you will be remanded to our jail until we can hand down a proper sentence for your crimes."

Alvin scoffed, impressively indignant despite the hostile environment. "Is this how you treat a man who saved a valuable life?"

"I can't listen to this anymore." Tengan growled, stuffing her for once incomplete notes in her bag before shouldering it. "I'll be on patrol." Without waiting for Astrid's response, she spun on her heel and shouldered through the doors, both her dragons following closely. With a deep, steadying breath she swung into Rumble's saddle and urged him into the air. They circled the island for a while while Tengan fought to steady her breathing. Her eyes fixated on Kelp and she timed her breaths to the wingbeats of the small dragon. Inhale for five beats, hold for five, release for five. Repeat. Ever so slowly some of the tension eased from her chest and shoulders. Rumble's excited gurgles were the only thing that alerted her to Hiccup's presence as Toothless climbed to meet them.

"Astrid told me what happened. Care to talk about it?" Hiccup asked, glancing back and forth between the dragons and in the general direction of the Academy.

Tengan sighed deeply, letting her head droop. "I'm sorry, I know I let myself get carried away. It's just I thought he was dead and….. When I was bleeding in Rumble's stall I thought I was going to die, Hiccup. Alvin did too. I could see it in his eyes. He looked excited about it. Like nothing would bring him greater joy than to watch a dragon tear someone apart." She shuddered, relaxing only when Kelp landed on her shoulders. "I thought he was dead and gone after Dagur's attack. Seeing him again…"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. You went through a lot." Hiccup's voice softened. "If you need to sit this one out, I understand." They flew in silence for several moments before he continued. "But I could really use your help if you think you're up to it. Snotlout woke up. Apparently the Screaming Death is on it's way. With you and Rumble we might have a chance. But I don't want to put you two in danger if-"

"What?" Tengan's head whipped around, jostling Kelp off his perch in the process. "No way. You all have been like family to me for almost a year now. Berk is just as much our home to protect." Rumble growled in agreement. "What can we do?"

Hiccup smiled slightly, nodding once. "Knew we could count on you. Follow me, we're meeting the others at the Academy."

They had just started brainstorming plans to repel the wild titan wing, Boulder class dragon when a familiar cocky whooping cut through their discussion. Snotlout swooped into the arena on Hookfang, looking much too proud for a viking who had been slung across his dragon like a yak pelt not two hours ago. "Did you all miss me?" He asked the group, arms spread wide. With a chuckle he answered before anyone could do more than blink and scowl. "Of course you did! Why do I even ask?"

"Snotlout" Hiccup began through gritted teeth. "I'm glad you're ok. But you broke the rules, and nearly got yourself killed in the process. You're still suspended."

"What?!" Snotout screamed, his vice hitching up a couple octaves. "I found the Screaming Death and captured Alvin the Treacherous!"

"You were unconscious." Astrid spat back, her posture not unlike a she wolf with raised hackles.

"Yeah, unconscious like a fox." Snotlout added.

Tuffnut chuckled. "That doesn't even make sense to me and I'm foxy like a badger!"

"Nothing has changed." Hiccup asserted, leading Hookfang into his pen. "You're still suspended." Unceremoniously, he shut and locked the door, ignoring Snotlout's cries of protest. Turning his back on the raging viking, he held out his arm for an incoming Terror, a piece of parchment tied to its leg. Deftly, he tore the scroll open, scanning the contents. "Apparently Alvin wants to meet with me." He said after glancing through the scroll. "I'll be back. Since we don't know what he's planning it's probably best if we keep the dragons here tonight. Can you guys get that done while I see what he wants?" Without waiting for a response he was off again.

Tengan bit her bottom lip as she surveyed the arena. The Academy only had five stalls, and all had been claimed ages before she even set foot on the island.

"He can share with Stormfly." Astrid cut across her thoughts. "The two of them get along great nowadays." She gestured over to where the Skrill and Nadder were playfully tumbling about, tugging on each other's tails and saddle straps. Kelp, ever the instigator, swooped down to get a nip in wherever he could.

Tengan sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. "It's not just that. I-I sleep better knowing they're close by." She avoided her friend's gaze.

"Why don't you and Kelp crash at my place tonight? For old time's sake?" With a smile and a small nudge she began to herd the dragons into their pens. "Besides, Mom's making shepherd's pie. I know that's your favorite."

"If you insist." Tengan smiled back as she began to loosen the straps on all the saddles. With the threat of a potential battle, it would take too long to tack them up in an emergency. But at least they could move more comfortably with the straps a bit looser.

Fishlegs marched by them leading a sallow faced Meatlug. "Now who's supposed to lick my feet tonight?"

Both girls traded similarly repulsed looks before breaking in a muffled fit of laughter.

It was a rather nice change to have dinner with the Hofferson's again. Tengan had almost forgotten the ever present smell of fresh bread from the family's oven, or just how booming Astrid's father's voice was when he decided to start singing at the dinner table. However, the highlight of the evening was certainly when Kelp drained half a mug of mead and spent several minutes hiccuping small balls of fire. Once the flames on the table had been put out the entire lot doubled over from laughing until they were grasping at their sides. No one brought up Alvin once, something Tengan thought had to do with Astrid warning her parents ahead of time. She appreciated the gesture all the same, and was able to quickly fall asleep on her old bed, Kelp splayed on his back across the stump side table, snoring every few breaths.

It seemed only seconds later the household erupted with activity as a booming horn reverberated the walls. Tengan bolted upright, her heart hammering. "Astrid! Warning signal! What's going on?"

Astrid, already tearing down the stars, threw the front door open, repeating the question to the other vikings running past. "It's Dagur!" she called over her shoulder. "He's been spotted by the training arena. Let's go!"

Tengan was on her feet in a heartbeat, trying to shake the half-conscious Kelp awake. "Comeon, Kelp! I need you to wake up! Rumble's in trouble!"

"Leave him here!" Astrid gestured urgently. "That mead did a number on him. We have to get to the Academy!" With a final backwards glance, she shouldered her axe and began jogging towards the arena.

Tengan nodded one, pausing only long enough to place Kelp on her vacated bed before tearing out of the house after her friend, struggling to belt her sword properly. "I didn't have it on me the last time we faced off Dagur." She growled to herself. "I won't make that mistake again. You better not have hurt my dragon."

The other teens joined the girls as they ran through the village as fast as they could. No one was surprised when Fishlegs emerged with Meatlug, squeaking out some excuse of her being afraid of the dark. The arena erupted with bursts of flame and furious roars as they closed in. The source was only discovered when Hiccup and Fishlegs made a cautious flyby before landing back amongst the anxious teens.

"Dragon root." Hiccup explained. "Dagur must have planted it. They're attacking each other over it."

"Hiccup, listen to me!" Snotlout interjected, a note of sheer hysteria coloring his voice. "I need to tell you something! It's really important."

"Not now!" Hiccup shouted back. "Fishlegs, you and Meatlug are the only ones who can grab that root. Toothless and I will cover you."

Tengan paced several steps back and forth as she watched the two dragons carefully maneuver into the fray. Her eyes rapidly scanned the area around the Academy for any unnatural movements, occasionally being drawn to the arena as she recognized Rumble's cries amongst the chaos. Any other day she'd be more concerned by Snotlout's look of anguish, but at the moment all her thoughts were focused on her dragon. 'Dagur had to have seen that the Rumble was in the Academy.' Her mind reeled at the implications. 'Since he clearly hasn't dragged him off before planting the root, he has to have another plan in mind.' Absentmindedly, she brought her thumb to her mouth, biting down on the tip of the digit as she continued pacing.

"There's too many for Hiccup to cover alone. We have to get in there!" Astrid cried out, breaking away from the group to charge into the arena and stop Storfly from impaling Meatlug with a spine.

The rest of the teens followed with no hesitation. Snotlout quickly drew Hookfang's frustration towards him while the twins distracted Barf and Belch by running circles around them. Tengan, throwing her arms wide, lept in front of Rumble as he prepared to launch a bolt of lightning at Toothless. Thankfully, the Skrill deflected the attack at the last moment in an attempt to protect his rider, the blinding flash of light striking the bars of the arena before raining down as dancing sparks.

Fishlegs, taking full advantage of the distraction, nabbed the dragon root and followed Toothless to the exit. The Night Fury swept out the open door, clearing a path. Meatlug followed, almost clearing the entrance before-

SLAM. The gate bounced off the stone floor as it boomed shut, locking the dragon root in with the crazed reptiles. Two Berserker soldiers stepped out of the shadows, blocking the gate as Toothless swung around.

"Open the gate, right now." Hiccup all but growled the command as Toothless' jaw hung open, ready to strike. "Or-"

"Or what?" Taunted a familiar voice from above, drawing the attention of the teens upward. Dagur grinned maliciously down at the chaos before him. All around him other Berserkers and even a few Outcasts stepped into view, their weapons trained on Toothless and Hiccup.

"Dagur?! What do you want?" Hiccup yelled in a strained voice.

"Oh? It's simple really. Just two little things." Dagur fiddled with the handle of his axe. "One: the head of your Night Fury. Two: what is rightfully mine." He swung the weapon towards the arena, gesturing at the rampaging Skrill. "Seems you little storybook friend has been taking good care of MY Skrill. Hand over both dragons and we leave peacefully." He chuckled darkly. "Or don't. We both know the Skrill will make short work of those lesser dragons. How long can they keep this up? It's your choice. Your dragon or your friends? Isn't this exciting!" He cried out, eyes widening with rabid glee. "What will he choose ladies and gentlemen?!"

Hiccup glanced down at his friends. Meatlug was flying in desperate circles around the perimeter, barely staying ahead of the others. Hookfang had nearly set Snotlout on fire with his latest attack while the twins were already sporting several new burns. Astrid and Tengan were back to back, the former holding a spine studded shield while the latter had a new gash along her right arm. Before he could open his mouth to argue, another voice called out over the commotion.

"We choose to run you through and open the gate ourselves!" Stoick boomed, banging a studded hammer on his shield. Behind him, Gobber, and what looked to be nearly half the village, echoed his war cry as the army broke into a run to meet the Berserkers.

Tengan cried out as she threw herself onto Rumble's back, fighting to get a grip on one of his neck spines. The blood dripping from her cut slipped between her hand and the bony protrusion, slicking the scales in the process. "What is going on up there?!" She shouted to no one in particular.

Tuffnut bolted by, followed closely by his sister and their incredibly furious dragon. "Stoick brought most of the island along with Alvin apparently and they're fighting off Dagur!"

"Did you say Alvin?" Astrid interjected, raising her shield again to ward off a volley of spines.

"Less talking, more running!" Ruffnut shoved her brother forward just in time to avoid another blast.

"Alvin?" Tengan cried, losing her grip on Rumble and tumbling to the floor. "No no no not now!" She inhaled rapidly as her heartbeat thudded in her ears. Eyes widening, she glanced around, twitching like a rabbit caught out in an open field. Her bloodied hand found her sword and struggled to pull it free.

Rumble, temporarily distracted by the smell of his rider's blood turned his head abruptly to face her. Fighting the urge to pounce on the nearest dragon in pursuit of the root, he lowered his head to her level, vibrating deeply in his chest.

Tengan's sight slowly came into focus as her dragon's large, orange eyes filled her vision. Abandoning the bloodied hilt of her sword, she placed both palms on either side of his head. They both winced as the battle around them raged on. "I-I'm ok now boy. It'll be alright. You've got me and I've got you…. Eyes on me!" She cried as Meatlug flew by once more. She winced as Rumble jerked in her grip before returning his gaze to hers. With a pained cry, he broke away again, chasing after the Gronkle with half raised wings. "Watch out! I've lost him!"

Thankfully, miraculously, the gate began to creak open as Stoick, freed from the chaos of battle, took hold of the chain. Meatlug, seeing the opening, scrambled for the gate as Toothless flew in, laying down cover with a couple well placed plasma blasts. In her haste, she bowled straight over half a dozen Berkians, including Stoick, who let the gate boom back shut behind her as he collapsed.

Almost as if the last few minutes never happened, the dragons calmed and staggered back to their battered riders. Tengan collapsed against Rumble's side, her injured arm shaking with fatigue. "Is everyone alright?"

"I think so." Hiccup cast a quick glance over the group. "All except for, wait. Where's my dad?"

"Don't even think of trying to follow us!" Dagur's voice echoed over the group from a nearby cliff face. Before him stood two guards, each with a sword point at Stoick's throat. "If I see a single dragon following us, rider or not, you'll be looking for a new chief." With a burst of laughter, the group departed, dragging a bound and struggling Stoick with them.

"Dad, no!" Hiccup cried out, only held back from a blind, reckless pursuit by Gobber's deft hand.

Tengan shared a horror struck look with the other riders clustered in the arena. Through the various bruises, cuts, and abrasions she could still tell they were all sharing a singular thought: How were they ever going to get Stoick back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for taking longer with this chapter than I anticipated. I was struggling really hard with whether or not to include some of the episodes between when Tengan met Rumble and the end of the season. Specifically with how she would respond to seeing Gustav rejected by the Riders in a similar manner to how she felt she was abandoned by them before bonding with a dragon. We should have one or two more chapters to go before the time skip. I promise there will actually be a romance between Tengan and Dagur, it's just going to happen during Race to the Edge. As always, thank you so much for reading and if you have any specific episodes you want me to tackle in depth for RTTE, please feel free to let me know!


	13. Return to Outcast Island

No one slept the rest of the night. No one tried. With Stoick captured, the villagers were whipped in a seemingly endless frenzy. It didn’t help that a few inaccurate rumors were traveling among the vikings. Some claimed Stoick was already dead, while others said he had abandoned Berk with the intent on leaving Alvin in charge. Gobber was quick to put a stop to those particular whispers. Despite his relatively unassuming nature, he had an intimate knowledge on exactly how hard to strike someone over the head to send a message without knocking them out.

Tengan had wasted no time in assisting Hiccup the best way she could. The rising sun found her bent low over her desk, an array of books, maps, scrolls, and scrap parchment scattered about her. Her quill moved without pause as her eyes darted across any and all information that could provide help. Maps of Outcast Island and the surrounding waters, the completed wild dragon census, notes on the Berserker’s history from Dagur’s first visit, and so on. Every once in a while, a small droplet of blood seemed through her bandaged arm and onto the scroll, standing the parchment red with a haphazard pattern.

Rumble, feeding off his rider’s frantic mood, alternating between shoving his head and shoulders through the front door as far as he could manage, and pacing in the front yard. He paused halfway through a lap in the well worn line of grass when Kelp fluttered into view, bleary eyed.

Tengan looked up as the Terror glided inside and landed on a perch next to her desk, leg outstretched. “Glad to see you’re feeling better.” She murmured through a yawn as she untied the attached note, sparing a moment to smooth it flat before reading. “Hmm, Hiccup wants us to meet at the entrance of the Academy.” Stretching, she tightly rolled her compilation of notes, slid it into her bag, and stood. “You coming with?” She asked the small dragon.

Kelp warbled in a defeated sort of way, flinching at the sound of her chair scraping along the floor. With a huff and a flick of his tail, he hopped over to her bed and curled up on her pillow.

“I’ll take that as a no.” She smiled wearily. Pausing just long enough to leave a bowl of water out for him, she stumbled outside, squinting in the sunlight. “Just you and me again Rumble. Let’s see what’s going on.”

The meeting was short and to the point. All of the teens looked ragged, as if they had hand carried a year's worth of supplies up to Gothi’s hut. “Fishlegs, why don’t you go scout our perimeter for any Berserker ships? The rest of us can head to the Great Hall. Gobber has called a meeting.”

“I’ll go with Fishlegs.” Tengan spoke up.

“No, that’s a horrible idea.” Hiccup shook his head. “If there are any Berserkers and they see you -”

“They won’t aim to kill.” Tengan finished flatly. “They know Rumble is part of the Academy now. Dagur would never let them harm ‘his precious Skrill’,” she finished bitterly. “I’m the only one who can fly freely without risk of death right now and you know it.”

Hiccup stared at her for several moments before sighing, shaking his head wearily. “You have a point. Fine. You two go. Stay alert. Come back the moment you see anything unusual.”

Tengan smiled back, pressing her notes into the boy’s hands. “We’ll be fine. Take these. It’s all the notes I could pull together last night. They might be of some help.” Urging Rumble into the air, she fell into place behind Fishlegs as they made their way towards their usual patrol route.

“So…” Fishlegs began. “I heard Alvin helped us drive back Dagur’s attack last night.”

Tengan stiffened in the saddle, her jaw tightening. “So? We still can’t trust him. He’ll try to kill us the moment our backs are turned.” Her expression softened as Fishlegs physically flinched at her tone. “...I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you. Maybe we should talk about something else.” She plowed on before he could protest. “Did I tell you what I found out about Rumble’s shot limit last week? It seems with each bolt of lightning he absorbs he gets on average-”

The sea stack to their left, a common resting place and playground for wild Terrible Terrors exploded outward, sending rock debris flying in every direction. The two dragons, recovering much faster than their riders from the shock, bolted towards a sheltered outcropping, weaving in between the bits of rock hurtling at them.

A roar shook the surrounding area as a monstrous white serpent ascended from the sea, the falling bits of earth bouncing harmlessly off it’s tough hide. The Screaming Death paused in it’s ascent, swinging it’s massive head from side to side. Finding nothing worth attacking, it veered off in the direction the teens had come from.

“Berk.” Fishlegs whispered from their hiding place. “It’s eating its way to Berk. We have to get back and warn the others.”

“Yes.” Tengan agreed, trying to keep her vice as quiet as possible. “But we have to move carefully. If that thing sees us I don’t know if the four of us will be enough to hold it off.”

Only when the Screaming Death was a white smudge in the distance did the two make their move. Flying as fast as Meatlug could push herself, they found themselves touching down in the center of town in just over an hour. 

“Hiccup had mentioned he was going to strategize with Gobber at his house after the meeting.” Tengan panted as they jogged through the street, dragons trailing behind. “Let’s check there first.”

Fishlegs, with a surprising burst of manic energy, beat Tengan to the door. “Hiccup!” He cried out, desperately banging on the door. He stumbled through the doorway as it gave way, Tengan squeezing in behind him. “Screaming… coming!”

“Woah woah! Take a breath Fishlegs” Hiccup approached the pair. “What did you two find out there?”

Tengan stepped forward as Fishlegs doubled over, wheezing. “The Screaming Death. We found it on patrol.” Her brow furrowed. “It’s eating its way to Berk. We don’t have much time.”

As Hiccup inhaled to respond, Astrid shouldered her way into the house, a scroll clutched in her hand. “Hiccup! This just arrived for you. It’s from Dagur.”

The air in the warm wooden house seemed to cool and thicken as Hiccup took the scroll. “And the hits just keep on coming.” Unrolling it, he quickly read through.

“What does it say?” Astrid asked softly.

“We have until tonight to hand over Toothless and Rumble. If we don’t, my father will-” He broke off quickly, tossing the scroll towards the table.

“It’s a trap!” Astrid began urgently. “You know that. If we fly anywhere near outcast island-”

Hiccup stopped her with a raised hand. “I need you guys to listen to me. Astrid, Fishlegs, you two are to find the twins and Snotlout. I need you to be ready for the Screaming Death.”

“And me?” Tengan asked gently, watching the very slight tremor in Hiccup’s legs as he spoke.

“You’re coming with me. We’re going to save my father.” Hiccup finished with a steady glare, almost daring the others to challenge his instructions. When none did he bade Astrid and Fishlegs goodluck before joining Tengan. Only after the two were in the air and a good distance away he spoke again. “We’re going to release Alvin and have him show us a safe way onto Outcast Island.”

Tengan flinched, her spastic momvement sending Rumble off course for several wingbeats. “You can’t be serious. The only reason he has helped us-”

“I know.” He cut across her. “Believe me I know. But I need his help now. And yours. I would never ask you to work with him unless it was life or death. But it is. Can I count on you?”

“We have all the notes I compiled.” Tengan bleated out. “Those should be enough. We don't need him.” Catching Hiccup’s desperte gaze, she sighed, grinding her teeth as her nails dug into the pliable leather of Rumble’s saddle. For several moments she remained silent, forcing herself to focus on her breathing. Beneath her, she felt Rumble begin to vibrate as a long, low hum reverberated through his body. The sound echoed through her body, coaxing her muscles to relax. “For you and Stoick, I’d do anything.” She spoke slowly and clearly. “I owe you both so much. You can count on me for this mission, Hiccup. However,” Her thumb found the pommel of her sword. “If he so much as flinches towards either one of us...” She let the unfinished treat hang in the air.

“I see your time spent living with Astrid was well spent.” Hiccup commented dryly before nodding. “Understood. And, thank you.”

Neither spoke again on the short flight over to the Academy. It had been decided last night, both for Alvin and the citizen’s safety that he would be held in one of the empty dragon pens until judgement could be passed. The pair dismounted and walked silently into the arena. Both dragons stuck close behind their riders, wings half raised and lips curled as if in warning. Kelp, somewhat recovered from his night of partying, sat waiting in the center of the arena, chirping in an almost scolding way as he fluttered over to take his usual place on Rumble's head.

“So..” Alvin’s voice floated over to the teens, his tone surprisingly light for one facing execution. “How did the town meeting go?” he chuckled mockingly. “Sound like you had them right in the palm of your hands.”

Tengan stopped several feet from the bars, fists clenched. She felt the small hairs on the back of her neck stand on edge as Hiccup continued to approach. Glancing around quickly, she felt a little comfort knowing the dragons seemed to share her apprehension. Toothless had his jaws slightly apart, ready to snap, while a very soft crackling sound had started to emit from Rumble’s chest. Even Kelp looked ready to strike, back arched in an effort to look larger.

“Nevermind that.” Hiccup waved a hand dismissively as he unlatched the door, letting it swing wide open. “You are going to show us a way onto Outcast Island. We are going there together, Alvin. We are going to bring my father home.” He swung into Toothless’ saddle before staring down at Alvin, waiting.

Alvin stepped carefully into the sunlight cast about the arena, his eyebrow cocked quizzically. His eyes fell on Tengan and for the briefest moment flickered to the scar across her forehead. After a moment, a grin split his face, the gesture creating a more crazed look than usual.

Tengan fought to keep from drawing her sword right then. “You ride with Hiccup. I’ll be right behind you the entire time. Don’t even think abo-”

“Yeah yeah,” Alvin cut across her as he climbed into the saddle, settling into place behind Hiccup. “Nice scar. Very becoming. You should thank whoever gave it to you.”

Tengan slid her sword from the belt a couple inches as Rumble snarled. “I could give you one to match and throw you to a wild dragon. See how well you cope.”

“Easy, Tengan.” Hiccup held a hand up to her before urging Toothless into the air. The Night Fury looked rather displeased with his second passenger but listened all the same. 

Rumble took to the air immediately after, lining himself just above and behind Toothless where they could keep all eyes on Alvin. Kelp alternated between perching on Rumble’s head and Tengan’s shoulder, hissing with displeasure at Alvin’s back every once in a while.

As soon as the dragons cleared the arena they picked up speed, aided by a convenient tailwind. Alvin, after taking one glance at the water slipping by underneath them, clamped down on Hiccup’s shoulders for support.

Before Tengan could react, Toothless buffeted the larger viking with his wings until he loosened up.

Tengan scoffed, the anxiety in her chest loosening a bit as she watched Alvin fret in the saddle. “Good” she murmured to Kelp, ticking the small dragon’s chin. “If he’s this spooked in the air he wouldn’t dare try to wrestle for control of Toothless.” She smiled as Rumble seemed to hum in agreement.

Hiccup broke the silence after several minutes of listening to the dragons’ wingbeats. “So,” He began, scratching the top of Toothless’ head. “Word on the street is that you and my father used to be best friends.”

Tengan blinked curiously, urging Rumble to fly alongside the Night Fury. ‘How could he have betrayed his home? His best friend?’ She wondered, the old flare of anger and fear rising in her once again.

“That was a long time ago.” Alvin grumbled. Noticing the two teens rapt interest he sighed and continued. “Your father and I were tasked with protecting Berk. Stoick was the chief’s son so he was in command. I was just a soldier.”

Hiccup flinched. “Sounds like me and Snotlout.” He mumbled to himself.

Either not hearing, or not caring about the interruption, Alvin continued. “One night the village was attacked by a Monstrous Nightmare. Stoick and I disagreed on how to defend the village. I disobeyed orders and it led to a few…. injuries.” He sighed, shoulders sagging. “Things were never the same after that. Once Stoick became chief, I knew it was only a matter of time until he banished me.”

Tengan chewed on her bottom lip as Rumble fell back into his old position, digesting the information. Alvin had seemed genuinely upset that he had lost his friendship with Stoick, but she could not and would not forget how he had left her for dead when given the opportunity. She silently wondered what could happen to Snotlout if he were permanently banned from the Academy. What happens to a person when their pride leads to them losing everyone they hold dear?

“Well on that cheery note,” Hiccup sarcastically broke through the quiet that had settled on the group. “We’re here. But how do we get through? We can’t fly over the island. They’ll see us.”

“That’s why we’ll be flying under it!” Alvin spoke confidently, pointed at a darker than normal patch of war off the shore of one of the island’s many rocky cliff faces. 

“What? That’s insane!” Tengan spoke harshly, eyeing the water apprehensively. She briefly met Hiccup’s gaze and knew they were thinking about the same thing. Once Rumble hit the water he’d be unable to harness his lightning, leaving them significantly more vulnerable. 

“I thought you two were going to trust me!” Alvin called out. “Moment of truth! We have to dive in right there!” He pointed once more.

“We have to do it. Now, Toothless!” Hiccup urged the Night Fury under the water and out of sight.

Tengan swore loudly before placing a comforting hand on Rumble’s side, her other arm locked around Kelp’s body. “We have to follow them.” She sighed as her dragon hesitated. “I know, I don’t want to either. But Hiccup and Toothless might be in danger. Besides, you’re a Skrill! There’s more to you than just lightning blasts! Now, come on Rumble. Show me what you got!” Gripping tightly, she forced a lungful of air in as he dove into the water. Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, she caught a glimpse of a black smudge disappearing into a cave up ahead. Pointing towards the smudge, she laid as flat as she could on Rumble’s back, trying to ignore the strain in her lungs as seconds ticked by. Kelp wriggled slightly in her grip but she held fast, terrified if she shifted him the slightest bit he’d be torn from her arms and swept away by the current.

They followed the others through the submerged cave for what felt like an eternity. Finally, as her lungs began to scream and burn, Rumble angled upwards, breaking the surface of the water. Gulping down fresh, cool air, she released the Terrible Terror and glanced around, relieved to see the others clambering onto a rocky bank on the far side of the cave. Climbing out of the water, Tengan shivered for several seconds before Rumble tucked her under his wing and against his side for a moment, letting his body heat flow into her. Kelp wiggled his way into the embrace as well, adding a considerable amount of heat, given his size.

“Come on.” Alvin gestured impatiently towards a dark, gaping hole in the wall of the cave. “That tunnel will take us straight to the heart of the island. I’ve got a man on the inside who says it’s clean. No way Dagur knows about it.”

Hiccup shared an apprehensive glance with Tengan before following Alvin into the dark tunnel, Toothless at his elbow. They followed the path for several minutes, listening intently for any movement. “So, who is this man on the inside?” He whispered.

Tengan, hearing a shuffling sound, looked up, spotting a familiar, knee high ball of wool sticking close to a rather thin and hunched viking. “I think I know who it is.” She spat bitterly.

Hiccup’s eyes widened in surprise as Alvin greeted the newcomer. “Mildew? This traitor is your guy on the inside?!” 

“Well, he’s always been faithful to me.” Alvin responded flatly, shrugging off their concerns. 

Tengan shot Mildew a glare before turning her attention to the cages along the chamber. Each one had a Whispering Death collared and chained to the wall. The one in the farthest alcove was, by far, the largest of the group. Littered around her were “Eggs!” Tengan cried out a little louder than she intended. “Hiccup. Come look at this!”

Hiccup trotted over, eyes glued on the nest. “So this is where all of those eggs came from?” He asked, glancing at Alvin and Mildew. “Every egg? Including the large, red one?”

“Yeah,” Mildew said flatly. “Wondered about that one. How did it turn out?”

Hiccup scowled momentarily before brightening, digging in his pocket for the driest piece of parchment he could find. “Tengan, let me borrow Kelp. We need to get a message back to Berk.”

Tengan handed over the Terror, brow furrowed. “You don’t think-”

“That’s exactly what I think.” Hiccup nodded as he quickly tied the note to Kelp’s leg and handed him back. “We need to warn the others. It’s just possible this is what the Screaming Death is looking for.”

Tengan held Kelp up on her outstretched arm. “Kelp, head home as fast as you can without being seen.” She spoke more to ease her own nerves than to explain to her dragon. “Find Astrid if you can. Be safe, Little One.” She kissed the top of his bony head before lifting him up to a small gap in the wall of the cave where grayish sunshine spilled through. She held her breath for several moments as Kelp wiggled fiercely to fit through the opening, releasing it only when the dragon and the scroll made it safely through the gap in the wall. Turning back to the group, she found them huddled.

“Ok.” Hiccup began as Tengan joined their circle. “Here is what we’re going to do.”

Several minutes later, Tengan and Hiccup crept up to the arena, moving slowly to avoid creating unnecessary noise. “Are you sure they’ll follow through?” She whispered urgently. “Who’s to say they won’t turn us in?” She held up her hand, indicating to the dragons crawling behind them to stop as a Berserker soldier walked by.

“Alvin wants his island back and Mildew is tired of playing nursemaid.” Hiccup whispered back. “They’ll do their part. You ready?”

“No.” Tengan sighed, a smile tugging at her lips despite her best efforts. “I may have called Dagur a few unsavory things the last time we saw each other.”

Hiccup chuckled under his breath. “Good luck!” Motioning to Toothless, the pair began circling clockwise around the large central cage, towards an unsuspecting guard.

Tengan motioned for Rumble to follow as she followed a counter clockwise path. Together, they crept up on three guards stationed along the perimeter, knocking each out with either sword or tail. Tengan flinched sympathetically as Rumble dispatched the last one, noticing his blows were falling a bit heavier than usual. She couldn’t and wouldn’t blame him; neither of them were all too thrilled with sneaking back into the place that once held them captive.

They met back up with Hiccup and Toothless at the entrance of the arena. Glancing around warily, the four made their way slowly inside.

“That’s strange.” Tengan spoke slowly, her voice just loud enough to carry. “I expected more guards on the outside. And I don’t see any in here. What’s going on?”

As if on cue, several bolas were fired from multiple angles at the group, forcing them to scatter. Hiccup deflected a few away from himself and Toothless using his shield while Tengan and Rumble, armed solely for offense, were forced to jump, twist, and dodge away from the projectiles. 

Exhaling heavily from the exertion, Tengan chanced a glance at her companions. Eyes flicking upward, she noticed a half second too late that Toothless had been herded under a suspended cage. “Look out!” She cried as the cage clattered to the ground, penning the Night Fury in. Whipping her head around, she spotted Rumble being backed into a large puddle of water by a pair of Outcasts. Roaring with rage, Tengan charged the pair, drawing her sword in the process. Launching herself on the back of the first one, the two toppled over onto the hard stone ground. Raising her blade reflexively, she barely blocked the second guard’s weapon. Catching the telltale whistle of a dragon's tail whipping through the air, she managed to duck safely out of the way as Rumble’s tail bowled the second viking over. Straightening, Tengan smiled at her dragon, reaching out to pat his side in thanks. Before she could make contact, a heavy chain net clattered onto the Skrill form above, pinning him to the wet floor. 

“Tengan watch out!” Hiccup called as he struggled against the door of Toothless’ cage.

Tengan spun on her heel, raising her blade. She turned just in time to see several swordpoints inches from her throat. Snarling, she slowly bent down, laying her sword flat on the ground before straightening. Across the arena, Hiccup was similarly occupied, his shield discarded next to the iron cage.

“Welcome back to outcast island.” A taunting voice floated over the arena as a viking strolled into view. Savage sneered at Hiccup before turning to Tengan. “It’s been a while.”

“Not long enough.” Tengan snapped back, flinching backwards as the swordpoints closed in. Her grimace turned into a smirk as Rumble growled. “Careful guys. Skrills are known to be extremely territorial. Wouldn’t want to get on his bad side.”

“Good to know!” A voice directly behind Tengan called out cheerfully. Dagur, hands clasped behind his back, circled the netted Skrill, his eyes gleaming. “You know, I have to thank you for taking such good care of my dragon. Really!” Dagur stopped directly in front of Tengan, a cocky smirk on his face. “You know seeing as I am… how did you put it? Such a ‘pathetic excuse for a chief’!” His smirk faded into a dark scowl before he turned to face Hiccup and Toothless. “Look at this. The two best dragons on Berk. All for me!” He giggled fervently. 

“Easy, Rumble.” Tengan spoke soothingly as the Skrill struggled violently in his bonds, eyes rolling.

“First thing we have to do is change that name.” Dagur scoffed, turning his attention back to Rumble. “No pizzaz whatsoever. It needs to strike fear in the hearts of all my enemies!” Approaching the thrashing dragon, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “No no, Rumble won’t do.” Sighing, he turned back to view the captives. Grining, he snapped his fingers at a pair of guards “Put Hiccup with his father! We’ll dispose of them later. Leave this one-” unsheathing his weapon, he pointed the axe at Tengan. “With me. We have a lot to discuss about my dragon.”

Tengan watched, wide eyed, as Hiccup was herded away. Her heart sank as she watched Toothless slam repeatedly against the cage wall, crying out to his rider. Feeling a dull ache in her injured arm as the guards grabbed her, she struggled against them as they quickly bound her wrists and forced her into a sitting position in front of Rumble. 

“Settle down.” Dagur growled at her as he waved off the other men. “I have to say, I’m mighty disappointed in you, Tengan.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Tengan blurted out before she could stop herself, tilting her neck back obscenely to maintain eye contact with the young chief.

Dagur’s face split into a grin. “I mean really, why have you been wasting all your time and efforts on Berk?” He spat the word out in disgust. “Not just anyone can command a Skrill. You’d be much better suited as a Berserker.”

Tengan rolled her eyes. “Not this again. I am never going to help you, Dagur! Get that through your thick skull!” Her eyes glanced around the arena for any sign of the ambush they had planned with Alvin and Mildew. ‘I hope you were right to trust them Hiccup.’ she thought bitterly. ‘If they fall through we’re all doomed.’ 

“Oh, I think you will.” Dagur bent over slightly, eyes flicking between her and Rumble. “You see, I know just how lovey-dovey you all are with the dragons back on Berk. You’d never want to see a dragon injured.” He reached a hand out over her to place it on Rumble’s head, flinching back slightly when the dragon lunged forward as far as the net would allow. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. The Skrill will be mine one way or another. You can either help him adjust or…” he motioned behind him to a few waiting men. “...we’ll break him in.” Chuckling at Tengan’s horrified expression he continued. “Now I’d be willing to overlook your past outbursts and let you stick around if you agree. Who knows, behave well enough, and I might let you feed my dragon every once in a while. The choice is yours.”

Tengan bit her tongue until she felt the coppery taste of blood seep into her mouth. Swallowing both her pride and frustration (as well as a few drops of blood), she exhaled slowly. ‘I need to keep him talking. Stall until Alvin and Mildew can make their move. If they’re ever going to.’ Forcing an expression of concern and curiousness on her face, she met Dagur’s gaze evenly. “What will happen to the others? Toothless, Hiccup, and Stoick?”

Dagur’s grin widened. “Well, originally, I planned on taking Hiccup’s Night Fury for myself. Ah, that would have been glorious. But, when I found out you had been keeping my Skrill safe all this time…” he broke off to laugh, shoulders shaking with the effort. “...it was just meant to be. Besides, if we made the Night Fury the new symbol of the Berserkers we would have had to repaint the shields, replace all the sails, not to mention my belt buckle. Would have cost way too much.” He shook his head, holding his hands up for emphasis. “Now, I’ll use the Skrill to destroy that Night Fury once and for all right in front of Hiccup!”

“You can’t honestly expect me to help you kill a dragon!” Tengan cried out in enerest, struggling against her bonds as Rumble growled behind her.

“You don’t really have a choice in that matter.” Dagur sneered, voice dropping. “Either you help me recondition that Skrill and live.” He paused. “Or, I make you watch my men break the will of your precious dragon before killing that Night Fury, you, Hiccup, and Stoick all in one blow!”

“I-” Tengan gulped, turning to gaze at Rumble. The dragon, exhausted from struggling laid mostly still under the net, chest heaving. “I have to think about it.”

“Seriously!?” Dagur cried out, hands flying to his helmet. “What is with you Dragon Riders? These choices are so easy!” He stomped a path back and forth in front of her several times, thinking. “Why don’t we make the choice easier for you then.” He spoke up after a moment. “Savage! Bring them back out here!”

Tengan watched helplessly as Hiccup and Stoick, bound more severely than she had been, were pushed and prodded back into the arena. Briefly meeting Hiccup’s gaze, she searched his face for any indication the plan had either succeeded or failed.

“Tengan here is having a hard time making a decision.” Dagur spoke to the father and son, grinning wildly as he paced along the arena. “I told her she could either help me, thereby sparing all your lives at the cost of one Night Fury, or, I could have her watch me break the will of her dragon before killing you all.” He paused to sigh deeply, putting on a show of mock disappointment. “Seems like an easy choice no? She begs to differ. So, I figured we could move things on a bit faster. You now have as long as it takes me to come up with a more suitable name for my Skrill to decide. After that-” He shrugged, making a show to swing his axe with the motion. “Now let’s see... What about StormKiller? DeathBlaster? It’s got to have something like Death or Killer in the name...”

Tengan, trying again to silently get Hiccup’s attention, almost missed the flurry of movement as one of the viking’s standing guard near her was sucked into the earth. Jumping in mild surprise, she willed herself to stay perfectly silent. She watched, wide eyed as Dagur meandered around the arena, monologuing the benefits and drawbacks of the proposed name “DeathKiller” while failing to notice several members of his guard being yanked unceremoniously underground. 

With an earth-shattering explosion, multiple Whispering Deaths erupted from the arena floor, making good use of the holes carved by the vikings they had forced underground. As the dragons shattered the arena’s cage in several places, the ground beneath, weakened by the new tunnels, continued to tremble, shifting unevenly at the fissure points. Clutching the tail of the largest tunneling dragon was-

“Alvin!” Tengan cried out, feeling actually relieved to see the maniac for once. Catching his eye she waited impatiently for the former Outcast leader to toss Mildew at Toothless’ cage before he approached. “Thought you weren’t going to come through for a minute there.” She admitted as he cut her bondings and threw the net off of Rumble.

“You need to learn to trust more, lass.” He mocked lightly, handing over her discarded blade. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Stoick and his brat seem to need a little help.” With a furious cry, he turned his back on the pair and plunged into the fray, scrambling to clear a path.

“Let’s help him out.” Tengan grineed, climbing into Rumble’s saddle as he leapt clear of the puddle. “Rumble, if you please.”

The Skrill, stretching his wings to their fullest, formidable size, roared a challenge to the mix of Berserkers and Outcasts before releasing a large bolt of lighting right in the thickest cluster of men, quite literally blasting the path clear between themselves and the bound Berkians.

Crying out in exuberance, Tengan, mindful of her partner’s wings, slashed downward upon their foes, the adrenaline from the battle drowning out everything but the movements of her sword, the cries of her dragon, and the fire in her limbs. It had been far too long since her last real battle, and she realized with a thrill, her first real clash since bonding with Rumble. Sparing a quick glance at her companions, she made a mental note to ask Stoick for tips on unarmed combat watching him physically toss a Berserker into the waiting maw of a passing Whispering Death.

The arena, battered as it was by the tunneling dragons, shuddered violently from the force of the battle. Cracking open in the center, a large section of the floor gave way, dropping several enemies into darkness along with a familiar black dragon.

“Toothless, NO!” Hiccup yelled out over the fray, scrambling to reach the edge.

“On no.” Tengan gassed ”Rumble! We have to help!” She cried out, softly tapping her heels to her dragon’s side to urge him forward. They had made it halfway across the arena when he was forced to come to a screeching halt. Several dozen more men had entered the fray, forming a wall between them, and Hiccup.

“And just where do you think you’re going?!” Dagur cried out. “You still have something of mine.” He snarled, holding his axe before him.

Tengan and Rumble snarled back in unison as she mirrored his pose with her own weapon. “He was never yours! Rumble CHOSE me. Now get out of our way!”

Waving at his men to stand down, Dagur approached slowly. “Oh, we’ll see about that.” With a cry, he leapt forward, bringing his axe down on her blade with a clash of sparks.

Tengan gripped her sword with both hands, struggling to disengage safely. Her eyes burned with fury and desperation. This had to end quickly. They had to get to Toothless.

Rumble, sensing her struggle, swung his tail around, curving his body in a half moon position to gain more leverage. Curling his head inward, he snapped his jaws over his shoulder at their attacker, struggling to reach him from the odd position. 

Dagur disengaged at the last moment, jumping out of range of the Skrill’s teeth as the dragon backed off. “Easy there boy. Come to Daddy.” He cooed, gesturing towards the furious dragon.

Rumble, taking a few small steps back, hissed with malice. Above them, the metal cage covering the top of the arena groaned loudly as it sank inward several feet. Shifting his clawed feet, Rumble swept his head from side to side, searching for a way out.

“Dagur, you need to end this!” Tengan yelled, still holding her sword at the ready. “The arena is collapsing. Let us through or we’ll all die here!”

“Not until you hand over my dragon!” He bellowed, charging once more. As he closed the distance, a wall of green gas flowed between them, followed by a small explosion.

Tengan, face breaking in a huge smile, gazed up at the twins on Barf and Belch. “You guys got our note! Thanks for the help but Hiccup needs you more! Toothless fell in that ditch!”

“On it!” The siblings cried out in unison as the Zippleback veered off towards the gaping hole on the other side of the arena.

As the smoke cleared, Stormfly thudded down next to Rumble. Astrid, her own axe already raised for battle, smiled across at Tengan. “Can’t let you have all the fun! Besides, we have to get out of here before Fishlegs catches up with the Screaming Death.”

Dagur, momentarily stunned by the blast, staggered back into view. He glanced behind at his men to find their resolve had broken at the sight of the other Riders. Many had already clambered over the crumbling arena wall to safety as the ground shook beneath them once more. “Cowards!” He yelled out to them desperately before facing the girls. “No matter. I can take you both by myself! I WILL have my Skrill.” With a crazed laugh, he charged once more.

“Stormfly, single spine shot!” Astrid cried out, tapping the back of the Nadder’s head. She smirked as the spine found its mark, sending Dagur’s axe spinning wildly in the air to clatter to the floor about a dozen feet away.

“I think we can take it from here.” Tengan smirked down at her unarmed foe. “Rumble?”

Mouth parting to expose several jagged teeth, the dragon stalked forward. A low noise halfway between a hiss and a growl escaped his gaping maw.

“Now now.” Dagur began, backing up a few steps. “We can discuss this.”

“Oh, I’m sure we could.” Tengan teased, sliding her sword back into her belt. “I just prefer it this way.” With a small nudge of her heels, she urged Rumble forward. She had to stifle a laugh at the boy-chief's expression of terror as Rumble snatched him up by the scruff, shook him wildly like a wet kitten before tossing him clear beyond the boundaries of the arena. From the mixed sounds of whimpering and familiar cackling, Tengan would have bet her favorite quill Dagur had landed not too far from where Alvin had been waiting.

“That’s one problem.” Astrid said with a satisfied nod. “Now all we have to worry about is the-”

The bone jarring, telltale roar of the Screaming Death announced it’s imminent arrival. The force of the cry sent the arena into another series of quakes as the ground shuddered.

Hiccup, newly reunited with Toothless, soared into the air with the twins close behind. “I found the Screaming Death’s mother! We just need to make sure they see each other.”

“Uh, can we get out of here first?” Ruffnut interjected. “While I’m LOVING all this chaos, it looks like the cage is about to collapse.”

“Noted.” Hiccup led the group out through one of the large holes in the suspended cage courteously provided by the rampaging dragons. Hovering above the wreckage, he glanced quickly between the advancing behemoth and the large female Whispering Death, he called out to the group. “They’ve seen each other. Now all we have to do is get them together and get clear of this place.” He waited until Fishlegs was within hailing distance. “Now Fishlegs! Drop it now!”

“Oh, thank Odin.” Fishlegs all but sobbed in relief as he released the dragon root lure into the sea below before swooping down to hide in the cluster of hovering dragons. “You all have no idea what we went through to get here! Have you ever seen a Screaming Death’s mouth from the inside? Because we have!”

The group watched with bated breath as the mother and son dragons called out to each other, slowly closing the gap. Their expressions shifted to ones of outrage as Dagur, who somehow gave Alvin the slip, along with a few men, quickly caught onto the plan and lassoed the mother, forcibly yanking her to the ground as she cried out to her child.

“Dagur, no!” Hiccup shouted as the group touched down a safe distance from the thrashing dragon. “You don’t know what you’re doing! Let her go before you destroy us all!”

“Now why would I do that?” Dagur mocked. “Hello? I’m deranged, remember?”

“Welp, you can’t argue with logic like that.” Tuffnut stated flatly, crossing his arms across Belch’s horns.

The Screaming Death, noticing his mother's struggles, roared desperately before raking its coils along the island, leaving deep trenches of crushed rock in its wake. The resulting trauma created another tremor that reverberated through the island, throwing several people and dragons off balance.

“Back off, Hiccup!” Dagur yelled, yanking a spear from one of his men and holding it to the dragon’s throat. “You know that if I destroy her, that thing will kill us all.”

“He’s right.” Hiccup snarled, waving to the other riders to stand down. “Everyone, back off. Dagur, what could you possibly want from this?”

“Now that you mention it, I might be interested in a trade.” Dagur’s focus shifted to Rumble, a greedy grin spreading across his face.

Before anyone else could respond, Tengan slid out of her saddle, temper finally boiling over. “I HAVE HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH OF YOU!” She roared, stomping across the space between them. Completely forgetting her dragon, her sword and even the weapon clutched in Dagur’s hands, she laughed herself at the momentarily stunned boy. Colliding directly into his chest, she began pummeling every inch of his face and body she could reach, earning quite a few shallow puncture marks on her hands where her fists made contact with the spikes on his armor. 

Dagur, stunned by the sudden outburst, tumbled backwards, spear clattering to the ground. He warded off the blows he could catch, although several still managed to break through to make solid contact. “Look who’s finally angry!” He taunted, catching her wrist with one hand, his fingers entirely encasing the smaller girl’s joint. Laughing maniacally, he shifted the two of them over, rolling and taking a few well placed face and gut punches before pinning her to the ground beneath him. “I can see why DeathKiller took a liking to you. Anything else on your mind?” He taunted, grinning despite his split lip.

Tengan struggled, baring her teeth for several seconds before glancing over his shoulder and towards the sky. Returning her gaze to Dagur, she grinned back. “Two things. His name is Rumble.”

Rolling his eyes, Dagur pressed her captured wrist to the ground above her head, bringing their faces closer together. “And the second thing?”

“Oh, I’ll let him tell you.” Tengan all but whispered, eyes flicking to the sky once more.

“Never retreat, never surrender!” Snotlout cheered from high above, diving towards the fray on Hookfang. With a whooping cry, he urged the Monstrous Nightmare to flame up.

Hookfang obeyed, twisting his body in a complicated spiral to concentrate the flames cascading off his body. Once the ball of fire was large enough, he slammed his wings forward, sending the wall of flames barreling towards the group of Berserkers. The resulting shockwave sent most of the attackers flying, freeing the Whispering Death in the process.

“What in the-” Dagur started, only to be thrown several feet off of Tengan as Rumble slammed his bony head into his unprotected side.

“Thanks.” Tengan struggled to her feet, whole body sore from her exertion. She hung her head slightly at her dragon’s angry glare before climbing into the saddle again. “I know, I know. That was stupid. Good thing I have you to watch my back.” She stifled a chuckle as Rumble shuffled his wings and huffed. “And I owe you an entire bucket of eels when we get back.” Taking to the air, she smirked as she caught sight of Dagur, wheezing from being hit in the ribs was scruffed and dragged to his feet by a very irate Alvin.

“Why’d ya go and run off on me, boy? We were just starting to have fun.” Alvin smirked on the last word, eyes glinting maliciously.

Tengan turned her attention back to the newly freed dragons just in time to see the Whispering Death mother nuzzle each of her offspring in turn. Wincing slightly, she urged Rumble to land among the rest of their group gathered on the island’s cliffside as they watched the herd of Whispering Deaths and the Screaming Death head off the shore and into the distance, thankfully, in the opposite direction of Berk.

Snotlout touched down moments after, face set with determination. “Ok, so I know I wasn’t following orders Hiccup, but Tengan clearly needed help and-”

“Snotlout” Hiccup interrupted gently. “You did the right thing.”

“Wait, what?” Snotlout cocked an eyebrow, clearly thrown off. “Are you messing with me? I was reckless!”

Hiccup continued to smile. “Sometimes reckless can be courageous. Consider your suspension, well, suspended.”

Tengan smiled at the two boys, relieved to see them back on good terms. “Finally.” she murmured.

“I know.” Astrid added, following her gaze. “It’s about time.” She turned her attention to the Skrill and rider, eyebrow cocked. “Now, care to tell me why you two broke Alvin out of jail, flew all the way to Outcast island with no further backup, and” she paused to chuckle into her hand “what on Odin’s green archipelago caused you to tackle Dagur to the ground?”

Ruffnut and Tuffnut, apparently eavesdropping, sidled up along the two. “That was pretty awesome.” Tuffnut exclaimed. 

“Yeah,” Ruff added. “What do we have to say to get you to do that to Tuffnut?”

“I’m just glad this is all over with.” Fishlegs sighed. “But, I’m kinda with the others. What happened to you two?”

Tengan’s eyes swept over the scene before her. Dagur, bound and gagged like a holiday roast, sat glaring at Alvin’s feet while he clasped hands with Stoick. Mildew was standing nervously off to the side, apparently content to wait quietly with Fungus while Alvin discussed his plans for the island in the coming days. Her eyes sweeping the scene, she watched several stunned Outcast and Berserker soldiers among the wreckage while others clambered into small boats to flee while they still could. Returning her gaze to her friends, a smile slipped into place on her face as she locked eyes with Hiccup. 

“That’s a bit of a long story.” He interjected, reaching down to scratch the top of Toothless' head.

Stretching her arms over her head, Tengan yawned widely before slumping forward in the saddle, rubbing the muscles in Rumble’s neck. “We’ll fill you in on the flight back.”


	14. The Pursuit of Knowledge

It's rather amazing how quickly time flies when you're not constantly warding off attacks from enemy villages. In fact, life on Berk was more peaceful than anyone could remember. Alvin and Mildew, after signing a new peace treaty, had taken over rebuilding Outcast Island. Stoick had agreed to the formal truce and increased trade between the groups in exchange for the Outcasts keeping Dagur locked up and out of sight.

The following months, although calmer, could hardly be considered boring by any means. Tengan was delighted to learn about and participate in the town's harvest; a process made much simpler by the dragons. Little to no crops were lost or wasted, leaving the viking's pantries and larders full to bursting for the upcoming winter. Although mostly acclimated, she still found her teeth chattering on the colder evenings and had been discovered, on multiple occasions, curled up for the night in front of the large fireplace of the Great Hall, snuggled happily against Rumble's side while clutching the only semi-reluctant Kelp to her chest.

Snoggletog was, without a doubt, Tengan's favorite Berkian custom. Everything from the food, to the ceremonial log delighted her. She even braved a mug of what Astrid had lovingly called "Yak-nog", although she "forgot" to include it's recipe in her report on the holiday. The only thing marring the occasion was the annual absence of the dragons. Apparently, Tengan would come to learn from a morose Fishlegs, that time of year was their breeding season. The dragons would fly off to an island mottled with pools of warm water where their exploding eggs would hatch with minimal damage to the surrounding area. Astrid had wasted no time in inviting Tengan to stay with her family once more over the holiday season, something Tengan had appreciated immensely.

As the dragons returned with their litters in tow, winter slowly melted into spring. That year, Tengan had been invited to participate in the Thawfest games under her own "honorary house". She had done well enough for a first timer, landing an overall fourth place position after Snotlout, Hiccup, and Astrid respectively. As the games concluded, planting season came and went quickly, thanks again to the ever helpfulness of the dragons.

Summer and fall slipped with surprising speed, and soon Tengan found herself once again at the Hofferson table for her second Snoggletog. The absence of her dragons this time around was less jarring, but she still felt immense relief when both of her boys returned unharmed.

The beginning of the snowmelt had marked the end of her second year of studies on Berk. The first relatively warm day of the year found her quietly sorting through all of her notes, journals and supplies while Rumble quietly watched from his stall. Kelp snored lightly in his hammock, as anytime before noon was too early to be working as far as the Terror was concerned.

"Hmm…" Tengan mused to herself, holding up a large, worn piece of parchment. "This is the first crude map I made of Berk. I don't really need it, I already have my finalized one packed. It's just….."

"Hard to let some things go." Stoick completed as he walked into the small home. Reaching out to pat Rumble's snout, he smiled. "Has it been two years already? It feels like only yesterday you were posing Thornado for some sketches."

Tengan smiled softly before standing. Stretching her sore arms over her shoulders she cast a wary look at all the items she hadn't sorted through yet. Returning her gaze to Stoick she murmured. "Do you still miss him?"

"Every day, lass." Stoick nodded slowly. "But I know he's off taking care of those younglings. It hurts not being able to see him regularly. Who knows, one day he might come back. Those we miss have a way of finding their way back to us. One way or another..." Crouching, he picked a dusty old journal full of haphazard notes and placed it on a low shelf. "You know, you don't have to clear everything out of here. Take back what you think you'll need and we'll watch over the rest. This house is yours whether or not you rest your head here every night."

Tengan swallowed, throat suddenly tight. She opened her mouth to speak several times before giving up and simply hugging the chief. In the time she'd spent here her arms were now long enough to almost wrap around the broad viking. Almost.

"You're welcome, lass." Stoick patted her back gently. "Better wrap things up, you're wanted in the Great Hall. I wouldn't say no to a lift back into town either. That walk was longer than I remembered."

It took only a few minutes to wake Kelp up and head back into town. Alighting on the steps of the Great Hall, Tengan cocked her head to the side questioningly. "What was I needed for again?"

Stoick, in keeping to his namesake, simply pushed the door open before standing aside.

Tengan, brow furrowed, cautiously stepped into the dim hall, both dragons crawling close behind her. Squinting in the low light, her eyes flicked from one corner of the room to the other, barely managing to catch the moving shadows in the semi-darkness.

"Now!" A low voice sounded from deep within the room. In unison, five small puffs of fire escaped the maws of dragons to light the fires along the hall. In the flash of light, the forms of dozens of villagers came into view. "SURPRISE!" They all shouted in a clashing chorus of booming voices, their cries punctuated by roars and growls of the Academy's dragons.

"Just a few people who wanted to give you a proper sendoff." Stoick said lightly as he joined the room. Smiling down at the stunned girl, he nudged her forward. "Go enjoy your party."

Tengan, never one to disobey the chief (without good reason, that is) did just that. It seemed every villager had turned out to enjoy the evening. On one of the usually empty walls, a large sheepskin banner bearing the logo of the Academy had been stretched across the stone. The long stone table at the back of the hall was piled so high with food it was impossible to see anyone standing behind it. Several of the smaller tables and benches had been moved from the center of the hall, clearing a space for people to dance as the few musically inclined vikings played on in one of the corners.

Tengan quickly lost herself to the celebration. She laughed as Hookfang, apparently too impatient to wait for Snotlout to feed him, dove into the feast and had to be wrestled to the ground before he would release a whole roasted boar. She found herself pulled into several bone-crushing, one armed hugs as villagers pressed everything from cookie recipes to small hand carved trinkets in her hands. She had hardly found time to stow the gifts before Gustav, face red from a swiped mug of mead, clumsily dragged her onto the dance floor. He wasn't too bad of a dancer either, until he overestimated his strength and dropped her to the floor while attempting to dip the larger teen. Before she could make her escape, Tengan found herself being swung in circles on the floor once more, this time by Snotlout who stamped on her toes several times in rapid succession. Thankfully, Astrid, spotting the catastrophe, had pulled her away before she lost all feeling in her left pinky toe.

Sadly, the party could not last forever. Many villagers stumbled, either from too much mead or food, back to their homes as the sun started to rise. Everyone had taken an unofficial day off from their duties to dunk their heads into the ever cold river and sleep off their night of revelry. That evening found Tengan, still slightly sore and sluggish, readjusting her saddle bags for the last time. Taking a break to straighten her sore back, she glanced around at the mostly empty home. Kelp's hammock, several older journals, piles of unused paper, a couple pieces of her warmest clothing, and a few other things would be staying behind. The rest of her research, a few small trinkets, and supplies for the return trip were just barely contained in Rumble's saddlebags. As it was she'd have to have her sword belted to her hip the entire journey. Stretching her neck, she gazed out the window in the general direction where the aforementioned dragons were resting in the waning sunlight. A happy warbling coo caught the teen's attention as she stiffly walked towards the door.

"What's going on out there boys?" She asked lightly as she swung the door open, revealing a semi circle of familiar faces, both human and reptilian. "Hey guys." She greeted the rest of the Rider's softly, fighting to ignore the heavy feeling in her chest. "What are you all doing here? I'm not leaving until tomorrow morning."

"We figured-" Hiccup began, reaching behind him to Toothless' saddle.

"That you could use some help." Astrid finished with a devious smile, arms crossed as if defying her friend to argue.

"Help? With what? I'm all packed." Tengan cocked her head to the side questioningly as she gestured to the mostly empty house behind her. "Everything that's left inside is what's going to stay here.

"Not with that!" Tuffnut waved her comment aside, elbowing his sister until she surrendered a bit of space.

"We figured that, since you've been helping us so much the past couple years we could return the favor." Fishlegs added quickly as he sidestepped the now wrestling twins.

"I'm afraid I don't catch your meaning." Tengan replied with a sad smile as she watched the twins roll in the dirt at the dragon's feet.

"We're coming with you." Snotlout stated matter of factly. "I mean you can't accurately report on how awesome the Monstrous Nightmare is without a demonstration." With a flourish, he snapped his fingers, smirking as Hookfang actually fired up on command for once.

"What?" Tengan blinked, her sleepy brain struggling to catch up. "Wait, you all want to come with me? What about the Academy? Berk?"

"The Academy will be…. fine." Astrid admitted reluctantly. "Gustav agreed to give it a deep cleaning while we're gone. There's not much in there he can break."

"And since Dagur is locked up and the Outcasts our allies now," Hiccup added, standing aside to reveal bulging saddlebags on Toothless. "there's really no threat looming. It's the perfect time to go."

"Besides" Ruffnut piped up as she planted her boot squarely on her brother's back. "When else are we going to have an opportunity like this? I've wanted to see Barf and Belch blow up something new for months now."

"Ditto." came Tuffnut's muffled reply from the dirt.

Tengan's face split into a grin as the knot in her chest loosened. A few more days with her friends were the best going away gift they could have given her. "My people would be honored to have you all for my presentation." She paused, hand coming to her mouth in thought for a moment. "Although, the twins gave me a good idea just now. If you're all up for it, would you guys mind helping me with a few demonstrations during my presentation? We'll have tonight and the next couple days of flying to practice and perfect it, if you're willing." She only had to glance up at her friend's faces to know the answer.

That evening and the following two saw the teens practicing flying in formation, trick shots, and perfecting small speeches prepared by Tengan with Fishlegs' assistance. After the first evening of travel, after watching Ruffnutt nearly throw her twin into the ocean below while rehearsing their lines, she was seriously debating scrapping the twins' speaking bit in favor of a larger demonstration section. The final night before the Shimmering Shores would come into view, Tengan found herself struggling to sleep, overcome with nervous anticipation. Finally, the sound of wind rushing from Rumble's lungs and the heavy warmth of Kelp's body as he lay curled on her chest let her slip into a deep, dreamless slumber.

The following dawned on the group, most stripped down to the bare minimum of clothing in the warmer climate, circling high above a sparkling shoreline. In the distance, structures of wood and animal hides lay dotted in a loose pattern as the people kof the Shores, tiny specks at this altitude, meandered about the village.

Tengan's heart swelled as she laid eyes on her home. It looked frozen in time; exactly the same as the day she left on Toothless' back. "I'll see you all in a bit!" Tengan grinned at her friends, raising her voice to be heard. "I have to scout ahead and announce you all. I'll come back as soon as I can. I highly recommend staying far from the village until I come for you. Hiccup can explain why!" Without waiting for a response, she tucked Kelp tight to her chest and urged Rumble into a steep dive, laughing as he corkscrewed towards the earth.

Pulling out of the maneuver several dozen feet above the ground she found herself waving enthusiastically at the upturned faces, calling out greetings to those who hailed her. The moment Rumble's toes touched the sand and his wings folded, Tengan slid out of the saddle, beaming at the villagers closest to her. She greeted them all, making a point to answer all questions about the dragons with her with "all will be made known soon."

Moments later the crowd parted as a joyous cry rang out from the direction of the village. "That cannot be my Little Scribe!" Makara's beaming face appeared in the throng of people as she approached. "Certainly not! You are much too big."

Tengan shifted Kelp to her shoulders before flinging herself into her mother's arms, sudden tears leaking from her eyes to stain her face. She felt as if she had been away from home for an eternity and yet, no time at all. If it hadn't been for Kelp butting his head in between the two, Tengan could have sworn she had dreamt the last two years. "I've missed you."

"And I you." Was the chieftess' soft reply. "Welcome home." Raising a hand, she stroked under Kelp's chin with one finger while glancing behind at Rumble, whose head was bent to sniff at the smaller children who had been brave enough to approach. "It seems you have much to tell of."

Tengan, following her mother's gaze, smiled and nodded. "Yes, I do. I'd like to present as soon as I can. Tonight and tomorrow, if possible." Glancing up at the unbroken blue of the mid-morning sky she could just make out the five splotches of the others as their dragons circled overhead. "Hiccup and a few others followed me back to help with the presentation. They're above us now. Would it be alright if I took them to the eastern field by the river? They've come a long way and I thought it would be nice if they could relax before-"

Makara cut her daughter off with a smile and a raised hand. "Of course. I will make sure they are undisturbed until after you've presented your findings. After that-" She chuckled and shrugged, motioning towards Rumble who looked positively pleased with the hoard of people clustered about him singing his praises. "Go now, bring them to the field. I will make sure food is brought over. Be mindful, we expanded the berry plot last year and the sprouts are still young." She pulled her daughter into one final tight embrace before nudging her towards the large dragon.

As Tengan climbed back into the saddle she spent a couple moments ticking Kelp as the crowd reluctantly backed away. "I'll see you all this evening!" Taking off, they quickly climbed to meet the other riders, who paused in their lazy circles as she approached. "Everything is all set! Follow me down towards the river. Mother will send some food over and we can relax until this evening." Angling slightly downward, she led the group in a slow descent "Tonight will be the recounting of the stories we discussed and tomorrow morning will be the flight demonstrations. Thank you all so much for helping me with this." She grinned at her friends.

"Of course!" Fishlegs called back, his eyes glued to the steadily growing village. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

"Why don't we give them a taste?" Snotlout added as he caught glimpses of people staring and pointed up at the group in apparent awe.

"What do you say, Tengan? A flyover in diamond formation?" Hiccup added, smiling at the unrestrained joy on her face.

Tengan, somehow managing a larger grin, shifted Kelp to Rumble's head as she nodded. "Sounds good to me! Ready everyone?" She nudged Rumble to the head of the formation before urging him into a slightly steeper dive. She glanced behind her only once to ensure she hadn't lost the group before pulling Rumble into a glide as they neared the ground, angling him towards the river she spent many summers swimming in as a small child. Forcing herself to look straight ahead, she took the cries of wonder and amusement below to mean the formation had been a resounding success. Reaching the soft grassy field just outside the last few tents, she guided Rumble to land near the river bank.

Over the next half hour the teens relieved their dragons of the heavy saddlebags, took turns refreshing their faces in the cool stream, and arranged their camping supplies around a patch of earth cleared of sticks and sharp stones.

Tengan spent only a moment staring off in the direction she knew her mother's tent lay before laying out her bedroll with the others. 'They'll be gone in a couple of days. Who knows when I'll get to see them again.' She shook her head rapidly at the thought, trying to dispel the sudden tightness in her chest.

"You all must be hungry." A warm, deep voice rumbled towards the group. "I've brought some baked rolls. Please, feel free to let your dragons feed from our fish traps."

Tengan's head whipped up at the voice, her mind going momentarily blank. Slowly, not warning to allow her hopes to rise too high, she focused on the source. She barely had time to register the large man standing before her before her brain kicked into overdrive. Screeching, she launched herself forward. "FATHER!" She slammed into his chest, barely missing the large basket of baked treats he had tucked under one arm.

Chuckling, Frewin awkwardly set the basket down before, with some difficulty, lifting his daughter into the air and swinging her in a tight circle. "It's good to see you too, Little Scribe! Although," he added as he set her back down. "You are not as little as I remember."

Tengan, laughing, wiped the tears from her eyes and gave her father another squeeze before taking a step back. "How are you here? Mother-"

"Sent me a letter a few months ago. I came back and have been waiting since." He gently cupped his daughter's cheek. "I would never miss your presentation ceremony."

Tengan smiled up at her father, drinking in all the tiny details that had slipped from her mind over time. His short cropped, densely curled hair had more gray flecks in it than she remembered, and his deep ebony skin had new wrinkles around his eyes. A small scar starting at his right temple traced down to the start of his collarbone. "That one is new." She commented quietly.

"As is yours." He mumbled back, lightly tapping the point on her scalp where her scar disappeared into her hairline. "I can't wait to hear the story of how you earned it." He burst into a low chuckle as Rumble nosed his way in between the pair, huffing indignantly. "And who is this?"

Tengan laughed, bringing her hands up to stroke her Skrill's neck. "This is Rumble, my partner. The one perched on his head is Kelp." Taking a step back she gestured broadly at the group of teens and dragons, who had all paused in their unpacking to watch the reunion. "And these are the Dragon Riders of Berk. My friends. Would you care to join us for a while?"

Frewin nodded at the group, eyes twinkling with boyish wonder at the sight of the dragons. "I would love too, Little Scribe." Hoisting the basket again, he led his daughter and her dragon back to the group, offering the baked goods to their guests.

The day slipped by leisurely as they sat and ate. Tengan alternated between answering a few of her father's questions and sitting quietly, content with watching and listening as her friends and father swapped tales of adventure. She was hardly surprised when Fishlegs, attached to Frewin's hip, nearly fainted with joy when he offered to send the young viking home with a copy of the knowledge he collected on a voyage he had taken to the Southern Jungles many years ago.

Makara joined the group as the sun began to slip closer to the horizon. Laying a gentle hand on Tengan's shoulder, she leaned in and spoke quietly, respectful of the conversation unfolding between Hiccup, Snotlout, and Frewin on the best combat technique for facing multiple enemies. "I do not see Stoick among your numbers. Has Hiccup taken over for his father?"

Tengan, placing her hand on top of her mother's, shook her head slightly. "No, not yet. The dragon who carried Stoick two years ago, Thornado, had to leave Berk to protect a trio of young wild dragons. Stoick has been reluctant to find another partner. He sends his regrets and greetings."

Makara nodded. "I can understand. It seems you all have formed loving bonds with your dragons."

Tengan nodded, scratching under Rumble's chin. "We have." She reached out to give Kelp the same affection and was mildly surprised when the Terror, eyes locked on Makara's broader shoulders, clambered up Tengan's back to settle himself on the chieftess, a happy hum vibrating his chest. "They have a way of finding the people they are meant to be with." Tengan added, shaking her head in mild disbelief.

Makara laughed and scratched behind Kelp's horns. "Such amazing creatures... Everyone is excited to hear and see what you've learned. Are you ready now? All are gathered at the center stage."

Tengan cast a glance at her friends and father, well aware of the rising rate of her heartbeat. "I'm ready." She answered steadily after a moment, her serious expression breaking into a smile as Rumble nudged her side.

It took only a moment to coordinate the Riders. Taking to the skies, they flew in tight formation back over the village. The usually empty section in the center of the village was absolutely packed with what seemed like every tribe member currently not out on collecting missions. All were seated comfortably on logs, worn stumps, or woven blankets placed around a raised, stone slab platform situated in the exact center of the village. Thankfully, the eastern side of the central platform was left empty. As large as the stage was, it would never hold the teens and their six, fully grown dragons comfortably. A small child looked up and gurgled happily, drawing the attention of the rest crowd skyward. Several people gasped, clapped, or cheered as the Riders touched down on the grassy patch left open for them.

Tengan, eyes focused on the large crowd of people before her, slid from the saddle and ascended onto the stage, Rumble close behind her. She took a deep, steadying breath and smiled as she caught sight of her parents, Kelp still proudly perched on Makara's shoulders, joining the crowd at the very back. Mind eerily calm and clear, she began to speak. Starting with the history of Berk and their war with the dragons, she worked her way through the tribe's history, harkening back to the tale Hiccup had regaled them with only two years ago. Her tone rose and fell as she went on to speak of the creation of the Berk Dragon Training Academy. Here she paused in her recollection to introduce her friends and their dragons, pausing to allow each a moment to explain their family's house and purpose.

Several times throughout her speech, Tengan extracted a journal or hand drawn map from Rumble's pack. Each time she would present the material to the group at large, holding the items above her head for all to see. Once receiving her people's cheers of approval, she would go into further detail of each piece. Several times she passed the items to the crowd, pausing to let several older members inspect her attention to detail. In those moment's her heart would start to race once more as she worried whether they would find her notes lacking. In each instance, Rumble would hum deeply in his chest or nudge her elbow slightly, coaxing her to relax. In between the presentation of her written works, she would incorporate stories of a few of the adventures she had with her friends over the past couple years.

Finally, as the sun set and the stars glittered above the gathering, the last of the journals and maps were returned to the stage. Clasping her hands together in appreciation, Tengan bowed low to the crowd. "My people, you honor me with your attention this evening. However, the stories of the Riders and their dragons does not end here. If you will permit me more of your time, tomorrow, I have arranged, with the help of my friends, a series of personal tales and demonstrations of the capabilities of the warriors you see before you. Do you find this acceptable?"

A resounding roar, punctuated by the cries of the enthusiastic dragons drowned out all else for several moments. Bowing deeply, Tengan gazed across the crowd at her parents, whose smiles rivaled her own. "I hear and appreciate your support! We will return tomorrow morning!" bowing deeply once more, she climbed into Rumble's saddle and took off, followed closely by the other riders. They flew in a low circle around the cheering crowd three times before angling back towards their camp.

The group gasped in wonder as they landed. Apparently, Makrara had taken it upon herself to have several gifts sent over while they were presenting. A large wooden table was laden with dishes upon dishes of cooked meats, steamed veggies, and a plethora of sweets. A considerable sized fire pit had been dug and had a large pile of crackling logs burning in the center. All of the tents had extra gifts lying in front of them. Everything from copies of popular works in front for Fishlegs to a decorative axe for Snotlout had been carefully placed.

"Wow!" Tuffnut yawned, lifting a sword belt decorated with emerald embroidery. He turned the belt to examine it further in the firelight, noticing the accented colors matched perfectly with his dragon's hide.

Tengan felt a wave of appreciation for her mother crash over her as the group sidled up to the table to eat. "I'm sure she wanted to thank you all for agreeing to help me with my presentation. I've told you all how much I appreciate your help, right?"

"Only about a hundred times." Astrid slapped her friend's shoulder as she walked past, pausing to toss a chicken leg over to Stormfly.

"You've done more than enough for us." Hiccup smiled gently as he unsaddled Toothless for the night. "We really don't mind."

"Especially if it comes with all these perks." Snoutlout added unabashedly, swinging the axe over his head. The pommel held a small ruby that matched the deep red scales on the back of Hookfang's neck.

Rolling her eyes good naturedly, Tengan joined the others at the table. Although exhausted, the group stayed up a good bit longer, laughing and joking until one by one, they collapsed into their tents. Finally, Tengan was the last one awake, her heavy eyes threatening to droop with each passing second as she stared into the dying embers of the fire. Sitting against Rumble's warm side, she slowly let her eyes close and simply enjoyed the feeling of peace that surrounded her. She was home. Her friends and dragons were here. Both her parents a stone's throw away. She sighed in content and slept under the stars, smiling as Rumble draped a protective wing over her.

The group awoke early the next morning to sunlight streaming through their camp. Well aware an audience was most likely already waiting, they ate a few cold leftovers before quickly saddling and taking off towards the center of the village once more.

Landing in the same grassy area as before, Tengan exhaled in relief. While many of her people had already gathered, most with quills and parchment in hand for taking notes, many others were still meandering towards the stage. Although, upon seeing the presence of the Riders, those lagging behind quickened their pace.

"There you all are." Makara greeted warmly, her arms holding a fat and happy looking Kelp. "I hope you all enjoyed yourselves yesterday." She smiled at the Riders' enthusiastic thanks and appreciation. "Of course. We want you all to feel welcome here."

Tengan sighed at the Terror lounging in her mother's arms. "I hope that one didn't give you too much trouble last night. He's been growing lazier by the day lately."

"He is getting a bit older for a Terror." Fishlegs added with good humor. "They're known to become more docile and, well, lazy as they age."

Makara laughed, shifting Kelp's weight in her arms. "That would explain a lot. He's such a sweetheart. Reminds me of an old, toothless, Savannah Cat I took in from some, less than reputable, traders back in my day. She was happiest lounging in front of my tent all afternoon."

"This one prefers a hammock to a patch of grass, but a nap is a nap all the same." Tengan commented with a small smile. "Where's father?"

Makara gestured over her shoulder with her free hand. "He's making sure the combat field is cleared for you all. Mentioned something about a weapon's demonstration with Astrid this afternoon?"

"Ah." Tengan smiled and nodded. "Of course." Bidding her mother farewell for the moment, she spread her friends out an equal distance from one another around the stage. By the time they were all in position, the last few stragglers, Frewin included, joined the throng.

Thanking her people once more for giving her their time, Tengan launched into an explanation of the bond between dragons and their riders. Climbing into Rumble's saddle, she explained the unorthodox method by which they found each other, elaborating on their capture and escape with no embellishment or shame for her triumphs and failures. She followed up with a quick explanation of the Skrill's abilities before having Rumble demonstrate a few of his basic flight and defense maneuvers. Satisfied, she landed and invited Hiccup onto the stage next, who told a quick retelling of his journey with Toothless before performing a few maneuvers as well.

Down the line they went, with each teen discussing the finer points of their bond before demonstrating a few of their dragon's most prominent features. Besides having to cut Snotlout off after several minutes of unrestrained bragging and preventing the twins from setting a nearby barrel alight, the morning went off without a hitch. They broke for lunch with the rest of the village and Tengan spent much of the time shooting her friends apologetic looks as they were hounded with questions between each bite of food.

The afternoon saw the crowd shift from the stage to the combat field, where the vikings, narrated by Tengan, spent a bit of time demonstrating a few combat techniques they often used when fighting on foot. Tengan, noticing her friends tiring rapidly under the harsh sun, quickly ended the session in favor of dragon back sparring. The teen paired off as rehearsed with Toothless and Stormfly going first, demonstrating their impressive speed as the dragons dove and twisted around one another. Meatlug and Barf and Belch went second, each dragon highlighting their unique abilities for both offensive and defensive flying abilities when it came to protecting their riders. Finally, Rumble and Hookfang squared off in an immense display of sheer power. Their bout concluded when a bolt of lightning from Rumble met one of Hookfang's fire blasts in midair, raining down dancing, sparkling embers above the crowd.

Her presentation and demonstrations finally at an end, Tengan landed next to her mother, well aware of the other riders staring in anticipation from the edge of the field. Sliding from the saddle, she sank to her knees, placed a closed fist over her heart, and bowed her head. "Chieftess Makara, I have lived with the Berkians and their dragons for two years. Last night and today I have shared all I have learned with our people in the hope's of broadening our understanding of the world around us. I hope you have found my knowledge worthy of adding to the Library." She spoke loudly and clearly, her voice carrying through the unnaturally quiet crowd.

Makara, still wearing the lazy Kelp as a sort of living scarf, smiled warmly down at her daughter before opening her arms wide and addressing the crowd. "My people! Do you find her knowledge worthy?"

The roars and screams of the crowd blotted out all other noise for what felt like an eternity. Every time the cries would begin to quiet, a dragon would roar or loose a blast into the air, igniting the crowd's frenzy once more. Through it all, Tengan remained frozen on the ground, her head downcast and face stern.

As the cries finally faded into silence, Makara placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Your efforts have been found worthy. Rise, Tengan, as a fully blooded member of the Shimmering Shores. Your efforts will be added to the Great Library for all to read and learn from. May the blessing of your people guide you in your future search for enlightenment, no matter where it may take you."

As Tengan shakily rose to her feet, the crowd erupted once more. She could just make out the cheers of her friends off to the side. Smiling up at her mother, she felt her heart soar. Suddenly, she felt herself and her mother pulled into a tight hug as Frewin broke away from the others to embrace his family. The entire world tuned a deep purplish blue as Rumble enclosed the others with his wings, humming in excitement.

"Well done." The deep rumbling voice of her father reached Tengan's ears.

"We're so proud of you." Makrara added, her voice shaking slightly with emotion.

The rest of the day passed with a flurry of feasts, questions, laughter, and, above all, dragons. The ceremony officially complete, there seemed to be a never ending stream of people wanting to ask about every minute detail they could think of. At one point, Tengan overheard someone asking Fishlegs if he had ever counted the number of scales on the bottom of Meatlug's feet. With all the celebration, the Riders had found it difficult to find any time to spend together, not that they minded all that much.

Hiccup had reconnected with a few villagers who had asked about his prosthetic leg on his last visit and had apparently spent the last couple years designing prototypes of other limbs in their spare time. Astrid had made fasts friends with a blacksmith who specialized in crafting armor from animal sources. The two had already convinced Stormfly to part with a few barbs and had crafted a small shield from the shed scales. The twins had found their calling on the combat field. They had spent the rest of the day creating small explosions for an excited crowd of onlookers. Fishlegs had, predictably, disappeared into a large tent with a few of the older scholars while Meatlug laid basking in the sun, a small army of children alternating between climbing over her back or patting her snout. Snotlout, with Hookfang in tow, had set up shop with a group of warriors and was trading tales of battles Tengan could have sworn hadn't happened the way he seemed to remember them. Tengan spent the day more leisurely than her friends, choosing to stick close to her parents. The trio traded a few stories here and there about how they had spent their time apart, but, for the most part they simply enjoyed an all too rare day of being a complete family once again.

As day faded into night once more, the Riders retired to their campsite for the final time, the Berkians weighed down with gifts of small trinkets and food. Once again they indulged the habit of staying up much too late as they joked around the fire. Eventually they all succumbed to sleep right in the center of their small camp, much too full and comfortable to bother with climbing into the tents. Tengan, once more, was the last to fall asleep as a feeling of mild anxiousness began to claw into her chest. Tomorrow her friends would be heading back to Berk. This would be the last night they spent together for who knows how long. Eventually, a troubled sleep overtook her, plunging the teen into dreams of running between two homes, with her goals growing further apart with every step.

The following morning was subdued as the group spent much of it packing in silence. If anyone had asked, they would have claimed it was due to the several days of hard flying followed by several nights of little sleep. No one smiled as they rolled the remaining sleeping mats up, packed away the last of the tent poles, and buried the now cold fire pit.

"I'm glad I caught you all before you departed." Makara spoke gently as she entered the camp. Kelp chirped a greeting at the other dragons but did not leave his newly found favorite perch atop the chieftess.

"Indeed." Frewin added. "We wanted to see you off properly before the others convinced you to stay another day, or three." He chuckled at his own joke as he stooped to help Snotlout hoist a heavy pack onto Hookfang's back.

"Thank you for hosting us." Hiccup said sincerely, bowing his head in respect. "It has been a pleasure to be a part of so many of your customs."

"The pleasure is all ours." Makara responded with a small bow of her own. "The sharing of knowledge binds us in ways stronger than most realize. You will be a wise chief one day, young Hiccup. Please, would you mind bringing this scroll back to your father? It has some information he had asked about on his last visit." She passed a leather tube to the young teen before turning to the rest of the group. "All of you have brought much joy and inspiration to my people. For that, I sincerely thank you." She paused to bow her head slightly at each teen in turn. "If you are ever in need of assistance, or would simply like to visit, you will always have a place here."

"Provided you don't mind answering several hundred questions a day." Frewin added, drawing a chuckle at the group.

Makara cast her husband a gentle, warning glance before cocking an eyebrow at Rumble's naked back. "Tengan, you should hurry and pack. Your friends will be ready to leave soon."

Tengan's head cocked in confusion as her brow furrowed. "Mother, I've completed my two years. Don't you need me here?"

"We will always want you with us." Frewin answered for the pair. "But, you are my daughter. If I know you half as well as I should, I know you feel like there's still more for you to learn on Berk."

Tengan bit the bottom of her lip as she gazed up at her parents. "There's always more for me to learn…. " She fidgeted with the fabric of her shirt. "But this is the first time we've all been home at the same time in years…" she whispered more to herself than anything.

"Yes." Makara nodded, an understanding smile on her face. "And it may be many more years until we are all home together once more. You will enjoy those years more if you are out there collecting stories instead of guarding our home with me. I will always be here for you to return to, Little Scribe."

"If it helps," Frewin added, lifting his daughter's chin. "I am planning on leaving in a few days time myself on the ships headed back into the deep south. There are rumors of dragons down there and I would like to try my hand at training one. A few teenagers I know have inspired this old man to adventure once more."

Tengan, breaking into a shaky laugh, hugged both of her parents tightly. "You're not that old Father." She laughed into the embrace before pulling back, drying the wet corners of her eyes. Glancing at Kelp, she held her arms out questioningly to her first dragon. "Are you coming?"

Kelp sniffed at Tengans fingers before chirping in a sad sort of way and nuzzling his head against Makara's cheek.

"I suppose I will have to look after him." Makara said softly as she stroked the dragon's back. "It seems he's found his place, even though it means not always seeing those he has grown close to along the way."

Tengan rolled her eyes playfully. "I understand, Mother….. I will miss you though. Both of you."

"And we will miss you." Frewins deep voice carried a melancholic edge. "But think of all the stories we will have to share the next time we all meet."

Tengan nodded before turning to look at her friends. The rest of the Rider's, apparently having been unabashedly eavesdropping, all stared back at her with tense expressions. She grinned broadly at the teens before her as she bent low to lift Rumble's saddle from the ground. "Would you guys mind giving me a hand?" She asked in a light voice. "It seems I have a bit of packing to do myself."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we've finally arrived at the end of the Riders/Defenders of Berk series! Woohoo! This has been a fun adventure for me so far. Thank you to everyone who has been along for the ride. As we go into Race to the Edge, I'll have to modify my upload schedule a bit. I'm starting a new job on July 20th and will do my best to try to upload regularly on Saturdays instead of my unofficial Wed/Thurs upload I've managed the past few weeks.


	15. Into the Great Beyond

Another two years passed by with relative ease on Berk. Tengan, newly freed from her meticulous note taking, managed to find time to fly to the Shimmering Shores on a couple different occasions to see her mother and trade stories. On both trips, Fishlegs had eagerly accompanied her, and his enthusiastic line of questioning had led to each visit being prolonged by a few days. Not that Tengan minded in the slightest. The time at home had allowed her to pen notes to her father, stored safely in Makara's tent, until he returned from the deep south. It also gave her time to catch up with Kelp, who had grown so lazy in his new home the villagers teasingly questioned if he had ever taken down Berserkers and Outcasts in battle. Leaving the Shores at the end of each visit always left Tengan heartsick for a couple days, but the feeling had lessened with the passing years as she became accustomed to "living between villages" as Astrid had empathetically coined it.

As the Riders were able to spend more of their days adventuring rather than defending, within a few months they had completed their collective map and census of all the dragons living in the archipelago; though none would dare try to convince Hiccup of the idea. Even though you could always count on seeing Toothless flying back and forth between the neighboring islands on a daily basis, slowly the once inseparable group began to meet less frequently as all of the other teens took on new hobbies and responsibilities to fill their time.

To absolutely no one's surprise, the twins dedicated their lives to Loki, the god of mischief, and the only one worth worshipping if you asked them. Tengan had quickly learned to be wary of long stretches of quiet in the afternoon as, according to Tuffnut, it was "prime Loki time". Astrid, determined to maintain her and Stormfly's battling skills, had joined the Berk Guard. The pair were often seen patrolling overhead or training, both activities which did not lend them much time to socialize. Fishlegs had also seemed to really find his calling. He and Meatlug had organized almost daily lessons on Berk's history, both old and recent, for any young viking who wanted to learn. Although his teaching schedule also kept him busy, Tengan had fallen into a semi regular routine of joining him for tea once a week to discuss his upcoming lesson plans. Snotlout, surprisingly, had been the Rider Tengan saw most of nowadays. He had somehow convinced Gobber to grant him an apprenticeship and could now often be found sporting new minor cuts and bruises from his new responsibilities as "weapons tester". Without fail, every time a new injury popped up, he'd hobble over to Gothi's hut and somehow convince the healer that his treatment would be perfect practice for her apprentice.

"You know I really do have much better things to be doing than tending to your every scrape." Tengan sighed in a defeated sort of way as she ran her fingers over Snotlout's bare back. Several small puncture wounds in a circular pattern oozed tiny droplets of blood.

"Comeon." Snotlout teased, attempting to turn his head far enough to catch her eye. "You know you love being my own personal nursemaid. Not just anyone gets this close of a look at the Snotman." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

"Lucky them." Tengan whispered to herself before grabbing a clay pot of green ointment from the small table next to her. "Hold still." She stated simply before slathering a generous amount of the antiseptic medication in the wound. "Whoops." She added lightly. "That was a bit much. You'll feel a slight stinging sensation for a few minutes."

"AGHH!" Snotlout screeched as he arched his back away from the burning of the medication. "What ever happened to the 'Woman's Touch'!?" He scrambled onto his feet, desperately trying to scrape off the excess ointment.

"By all means, feel free to take any issues with your service to my head of complaints." Tengan gestured lazily to Rumble, who lifted his head from a mid-afternoon nap and yawned, exposing a mouthful of jagged teeth. Her Skrill had seemed more or less content with their long days of sedentary study under Gothi. He had claimed the sunnier side of the healer's roof on their second day and dozed away while Tengan worked to memorize herbs or struggled to perfect a medical mixture. "Otherwise, you're all set. I assume I'll be seeing you tomorrow? You're overdue to ask me to massage a sore muscle for you."

Before Snotlout could confirm his "followup" for the following day, the two teens were interrupted as Gothi scrambled onto the platform of her cliffside home. Breathing a bit heavily, she rapped her staff on the wooden wall of her small home, drawing all eyes to her.

"Woah Gothi, what's wrong? I thought you were checking in on Gustav this afternoon. Is there something wrong with the splint I set?" Tengan set the small clay pot down and stood to greet her mentor.

Gothi shook her head frantically before scratching wildly in the dirt with her staff.

"Ughh!" Snotlout groaned as he pulled his shirt back on, wincing as the fabric caught on the sensitive skin of his newly cleaned wound. "What is she going on about now?"

Tengan cocked her head to get a better view of the symbols, her eyes squinting in concentration. When studying under Gothi, you either learned how to read her scribbles or to dodge her staff. In Tengan's case, you learned a good mix of both. "She says the twins found something, no someONE while harassing the fishing boats… wait seriously?!"

"What?" Snotlout forced his head over Tengan's shoulder, trying to decipher the scribbles on his own.

"She said," Tengan grunted, shouldering Snotlout out of the way again. "That the twins fished Johann out of the sea."

"Bet you stall cleaning duty he takes three hours to tell us what happened." Snotlout sniggered.

In hindsight, Tengan mused once the group had been gathered in the Academy, she should have taken the bet. In an unnatural display of conciseness, Johann had informed them of Dagur's escape, the theft of his ship, and the dangers as well as the treasures of the ship graveyard in only a handful of sentences. She had to pinch herself to be sure she hadn't dreamt the rather deft explanation.

"From the way he was talking, Hiccup," The shaken trader concluded. "It sounded like you were number one on his list."

Hiccup nodded thoughtfully, his eyes glued to the detailed map Tengan had gifted the Academy last Snoggletog. He lightly traced the corners and along the borders where she had drawn dense cloud banks to symbolize the edges of their explored territory. "If he really was headed to the graveyard, that's still farther than we've ever gone before." An almost visible wave of energy seemed to radiate through the teen. "Johann, is there anything else we should know before heading out?"

"Yes." Johann nodded frantically. "There is one ship you should avoid above all else. It's called The Reaper. Riddled with booby traps. Barely made it out alive the first and only time I ventured aboard."

Hiccup nodded, a telltale smirk on his face. "Ok. Toothless and I are heading out now. Unless any of you can make time out of your oh-so-busy schedules to come along?"

Tengan scoffed, tossing the crazed mop of curls on her head. "If you think for one moment we'd let you have all the fun on this one you've gone insane. Rumble and I still have unfinished business with Dagur."

Rumble lifted his wings slightly and growled as lightning danced across his scales.

Tengan glanced at the rest of her friends, excited to see a similar fire behind each pair of eyes. It really had been much too long since the Dragon Riders of Berk had flown a mission.

After dropping the still somewhat shaken Johann off at Gothi's for some rest and rehabilitation, the crew took to the skies. The dragons, clearly overjoyed at being reunited as a flock, seemed to push themselves. Each flap had more energy, each turn sharper and more precise than the riders could remember happening in recent weeks. Several times one would call out with a low roar or playful growl and be met with an echo of similarly joyous responses.

The flight, while pushing them beyond their typical routes and distances, seemed to slip by quickly. Hiccup, unable to hide his grin, directed the teens into several formations and maneuvers, some of which had not been attempted in at least six or seven months. For the most part, everyone had remembered their hand signals and flight positions. It almost felt as if they had just wrapped up their war with the Outcasts yesterday. Especially when Snotlout and Hookfang tore through the ranks, corkscrewing through the clouds as the Monstrous Nightmare left a flaming trail in his wake.

Tengan laughed, allowing her body to rock back in the saddle before leaning forward to caress Rumble's thick neck. "I had forgotten how much I missed this." She whispered in her dragon's ear. "What do you say we remind Snotlout what real firepower looks like?"

Even with the playful sparring matches and mild diversions, the group sailed over the first few broken masts as the full moon began to climb into the sky, casting a silvery light on the dark water below.

"Everyone fan out!" Hiccup called. "And if you see any trace of Dagur, send a signal!"

Tengan nodded one and, leaning to the left side of her saddle, directed Rumble away from the group as she kept her eyes glued to the waters down below. Twice she had to urge her dragon higher as the large shadows of the fish just below the surface seemed to draw him in. After a few minutes of slow circling, she spotted an older ship that still seemed mostly intact. "That could be a potential hiding place. Let's check it out boy."

As Rumble touched down on the creaking ship, Tengan slid carefully out of the saddle and padded across the deck. Her ears strained to pick up any unnatural sound, she carefully tiptoed to an open doorway on the aft end of the ship. Peeking inside, she jumped and retracted her head quickly as several hulking masses came into view from inside the cabin.

Rumble, reacting to his rider's flinch, leapt forward and roared into the doorway, challenging any to try to best them.

Several tense moments passed with no response coming from inside the ship. Drawing her sword as a precaution, Tengan eased past her dragon and poked her head back into the room. As the moonlight filtered in behind them she sighed in relief. What she had taken for burly men were simply rows of armor stands, each with a unique design and material. Stowing her weapon, she retrieved a small roll of parchment and piece of charcoal from Rumble's pack before heading in. At each new row he paused to take quick notes on the clothing and sketch any coat of arms she came across. "Remind me to ask Johann about these when we get back, ok boy?" She murmured quietly to Rumble, who anxiously guarded the door as he was too bulky to force his way inside.

Continuing down the rows, she stopped and shuddered as a familiar emerald scale pattern met her eyes. "Oh gods." she whispered in disgust. "Most of these are made from dragon hide." Her eyes raked over the armor sets once more, her scowl deepening as she identified several species from the remnants of skin and wing membrane on display. "Let's get out of here." She sneered, stowing her notes away and scrambling back into Rumble's saddle. It took little to no time to find the others. They had all seemingly been drawn to a relatively undamaged ship resting in the shadow of the largest, arguably best preserved vessel floating silently in the dead center of the graveyard. The Reaper.

"No sign of Dagur?" Hiccup asked Tengan as Rumble landed among the others. He sighed at the small shake of her head.

"Looks like we got here first." Astrid yawned, shrugging her shoulders. "So what's the plan?"

"We wait." Hiccup asserted, his face set.

"B-But for how long?" Fishlegs stammered. "This fog really gives Meatlug the willies."

"He does have a point." Astrid added quietly. "We can't wait around here forever."

"We can't just leave Johann's treasures undefended!" Hiccup gestured wildly at their surroundings. "Dagur will steal them!"

"And he could use a lot of the items to rebuild his armada." Tengan added darkly. "There's armor and weapons for an entire battalion on just one of the ships. Plus, whatever he can't use, he can sell."

"Not if we steal them first…" Ruffnut said slyly, eyes glancing from ship to ship.

"Ruff, that is actually a great idea!" Hiccup brightened. "Let's search the ships and bring back as much as we can to Berk. But keep an eye out for Dagur. He could turn up at any time."

Whatever Snotlout was going to add was cut off as an unearthly chorus of loud hissing rose from the dark water. Loud splashes and wet thuds along the ship's hull accompanied the eerie cries.

"Woah Dagur's voice has really changed over the years." Tuffnut mused mildly.

Hiccup ran to a large hole in the tall side of the ship and peered over. "Not Dagur! Eels! Everyone get to your dragons before they're spooked!"

Too late. With the exception of Toothless, who despite his best efforts could not get any sustainable altitude without his rider, and Rumble, who was drooling all over the deck at the thought of a late night snack, the Academy's dragons had taken off. Within several wingbeats they had disappeared into the fog banks. Not a single one had even glanced back at the teens they had left stranded.

They barely had time to process the betrayal before the absolute largest eel Tengan had ever seen flopped the upper part of its body onto the ship's deck. It's body was as thick around one of Hookfang's thighs and it had teeth longer than most throwing knives.

Rumble, roaring greedily, charged the eel and sank his teeth into the soft flesh just behind the skull, The slimy sea creature thrashed wildly for several moments, crying out in agony, before shuddering to a halt, dark blood seeping from it's still mouth. Rumble, losing grip on his prize as the dead eel's weight started to slide back in the water, tore several large chunks from the slimy carcass before it crashed into the sea.

The other eels, startled by the torn remnants of one of their numbers, quickly retreated from the boat. Within moments the water had calmed once more. For several moments the only sound was the occasional crunch as Rumble happily gorged himself.

"Pardon me." Snotlout spoke up in a falsely cheery voice. "Does anyone else think that Johann should have warned us about the GIANT SCREAMING EELS!"

Hiccup sighed, barely looking up as he fought to calm Toothless. "Will you relax? The dragons will be back. In the meantime we stick to the plan. Tengan and I can drop you each off at a different ship. We'll have to take turns ferrying all of the supplies back here. The important thing is we find all of Johann's treasure. Quietly."

Tengan, after dropping Snotlout and Fishlegs off on nearby, relatively whole wrecks, made her way back to the ship littered with dragon-hide armor. Grimacing at the morbid clothing, she got to work hauling each piece out onto the deck, doing her best to pile the similar designs and types of armor together. She was immensely grateful that Rumble, although apparently equally disgusted with the armor, had been willing to help by taking the heavier items from her once she dragged them close enough to the open doorway.

"You know." She teased after several minutes of struggling with a chest full of dragon tooth maces. "This would be a lot easier if you were a Timberjack. Or a Typhoomerang. Or hell, even a Scauldron. Something with a longer neck." She teased lightly as she gave up on the chest and returned to collapse against her Skrill's side. "But I like you best as you are." She added lovingly as Rumble huffed into her face, the air surrounding his breath tingling her skin. Sighing, Tengan let her head lean against Rumble's warm shoulder as she peered at the wavy bands of early morning light as the Sun began to break over the horizon. "You know I forgot how most of these adventures usually turned into all nighters. That I could have done without."

"Over here!" A gruff voice sounded from behind a large piece of wreckage. "I thought I heard something!"

Tengan's head whipped up as she stared off towards the source of the noise. Silently, she clambered onto Rumble's back and urged him to take off into the nearby fog. As they slipped into cover, she could just make out a familiar vessel that, until very recently, belonged to the trader currently being nursed back to health in Gothi's cabin. "That looks like some of Dagur's men." She whispered venomously, reaching down to quiet Rumble's growls with a calm hand. "Let's head back towards the Reaper. See if we can't at least warn Hiccup."

They slipped as quietly as they could through the fog cover. As Tengan began to dip below it, she jerked Rumble to a halt as the deck came back into view. "Dragon dung." she cursed in a harsh whisper.

Dagur had apparently already rounded up the rest of her friends and had penned them into one of the large metal cages scattered on the deck of the Reaper. Hiccup and Toothless stood across from him, both dragon and rider tense.

Tengan, unsure of the situation, silently glided in circles above the commotion, craning her neck to catch snippets of conversation as it floated up to her.

"Did you miss me? Because-" Dagur's taunting voice cut off as a small gust of wind buffeted Rumble's wings.

"-you want?" Hiccup's reply sounded terse.

For a moment, Tengan lost the conversation as Rumble shifted course after a slight breeze from the dragon's wings erased a bit of their cover.

"-with a group, as always." Dagur's taunting reply cut through the wind. "You seem to be missing one? Where's that girl who stole my Skrill?"

"Went home." Hiccup lied quickly. "Haven't seen her, or the dragon, in years actually."

Before any more of the conversation could carry, Tengan caught sight of one of the men glancing upwards towards a patch of sunlight reflecting off of Rumble's scales. Banking sharply upward, they were forced to climb deep into the cloud cover before circling again. "Easy boy." Tengan loosened her sword in its sheath, squeezing the grip with nervous fingers. "Let's wait it out. We have the element of surprise. Let's watch and see what Hiccup does."

From their height, whenever the wind blew enough to allow glimpses through the cloud cover, the people below seemed scarcely larger than Terrible Terrors. Nervously, Tengan kept her eyes trained on them until, after the light wind granted another quick glimpse through the fog, it appeared several people had clambered onto the stolen trader ship and taken off. Hiccup and Toothless had followed close behind.

"That looks like our cue. Let's check on the others." Tengan urged Rumble into a quiet glide down to the Reaper's deck. "Are you all alright?" She asked urgently as she tried in vain to force the cage door open.

"Yeah, but I think Hiccup hit his head." Tuffnut mused. "He forgot you came back with us! He told Dagur you left ages ago."

"Do you want me to break it to him or you?" Tengan whispered playfully to Astrid as she continued to struggle against the door. "Also, what is going on with Snotlout?"

"He found a stash of hair." Astrid groaned as she threw her weight against the cage as well. "Don't ask."

Tengan opened her mouth to do just that when a large boulder crashed through the deck of the ship, feet from where Rumble had been watching over their struggles. Water began bubbling upwards around them and soon the telltale scratch of the giant eels could be heard from the depths below.

Within seconds of the crash Hiccup had returned, his face anxious. "Tengan! Glad you made it back."

"What's going on?" She shot back, alternating between peering at the splashing water growing ever closer to the deck, and throwing her body against the metal bars. "We can't get the door open!"

"Everything on this ship looks like it was built to hunt and trap dragons." Hiccup said urgently as he detached his leg to wedge the metal foot pad in the cage's locking mechanism. "Dagur stole something valuable we found down below. We need to get after him once everyone is free."

"Do you want me to go after him now?" Tengan stood back to let him work. "We won't attack directly without you. Just show ourselves and taunt him into staying nearby. Or we could deal with the eels. Rumble is the only other dragon we have right now and he's our only eel eater."

Hiccup groaned. "I don't know. If we can't get this cage open the others are in trouble but if Dagur gets away with that object… I'm not sure what it is but it can't spell anything good for dragons or vikings if it ends up in the wrong hands."

"It's a gamble either way." Tengan peeked over her shoulder nervously as the ship began to tip towards the water. The eels circled below, temporarily kept at bay while Rumble paced back and forth on the deck, licking his chops in anticipation.

Thankfully, the ship lurched from the weight of the water at just the right moment, sending the captive teens colliding with the door as Hiccup forced his weight against the lock. The combined effort knocked the door wide open. All of the commotion, coupled with the Rider's cries of surprise, seemed to have drawn the attention of their remaining hurried over from behind a large sea stack, eyeing the circling eels with considerable anxiety. The teens, not wanting to give their partners any chance to second guess their return, quickly mounted and took off.

"Any idea which way Dagur went?" Astrid called out to the others as she scanned the area, squinting into the still dense fog.

Tengan, struggling to encourage Rumble not to double back for another snack of eel throat, grunted as they leveled off. "I think I saw him headed east. It will be hard to catch him by surprise. We'll be flying into the Sun. Even through the fog he'll see us before we see him."

Hiccup grinned. "Maybe we could use that distraction after all! What do you say, you up for it?"

Tengan rolled her eyes playfully, a smirk on her lips. "Oh, I may have thought about this once or twice on the flight over. See you all in a moment!" Leaning low in the saddle, she urged Rumble into a lax dive, squinting at the blinding light of the rising star, despite the omnipresent haze diluting some of its strength. Utilizing the sparse shade from wrecked boats and nearby sea stacks to gather her bearings, it thankfully only took a few minutes to locate the retreating ship. It had just begun to pull away from the final line of wrecks and out towards the open ocean. Taking a deep breath, she bellowed over the water. "Oi! Dagur! I heard Hiccup was at the top of your revenge list!" Urging Rumble faster, they swept past the ship and slowed to a halt, hovering just beyond crossbow range off the port side. "I have to say I'm disappointed." She pouted, arms crossed in front of her chest. "I thought we had something special. Did all our past meetings mean nothing to you?!"

Dagur's manic laugh floated through the air as he threw his arms wide. "I KNEW Hiccup was lying!" His eyes flicked between the small cylindrical object in his hands and Rumble several times in rapid succession. He dropped his arm loosely to his side, grinning viciously at the dragon and rider. "Good to see you've been taking such good care of my Skrill."

Tengan smirked, making sure to stay well out of range of the armed men aiming carefully at her as Rumble hissed. "When will you learn Dagur?" She teased, propping her head up on one hand while gesturing lazily with the other. "Rumble never was and never will be yours. We're just here to put you back where you belong; in a small, dark cell on Outcast Island!"

"I'd like to see you try!" The Berserker shouted, shaking both fists above his head in fury.

As the small object whipped through the air in his hands, Toothless shot out of the closest fog bank, twisting to momentarily fly upside down as Hiccup snateched the object out of Dagur's hands. The pair quickly climbed out of bow range, laughing as they disappeared back into the fog's cover.

Tengan laughed as she followed suit, slowing down only long enough to holler over her shoulder. "You know what, I think I'll take a raincheck on that!"

Dagur's crazed shouts echoed through the muggy air as Toothless and Rumble navigated back to the group. "GOOD FOR YOU HICCUP! BUT I'VE GOT ALL THE GOLD! YOU HEAR ME?! ALL! THE! GOLD!"

Tengan shook her head in exasperation as the pair rejoined the group and began the long flight back to Berk. "He has a point you know." She said seriously after several minutes of quiet. "Unless we recapture him soon he'll be able to rebuild his armada. I hope whatever we took back from him was worth more than all of Johann's wares."

"Me too." Hiccup confided as he glanced between the worried faces of his friends and down at the ornate cylinder lying flaccid in his palm. "Only one way to find out."

"After we've all had a chance to sleep." Tengan added firmly. "There is no way we're falling back into our old patterns of two to three all-nighters a week."

"Fair enough." Hiccup chuckled in a weary sort of way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to have another chapter posted this Saturday (July 18th). From that point on I'll try to keep a consistent upload schedule of either Saturday or Sunday.
> 
> From this point on most of the chapters will have Dagur interacting with Tengan in some sort of capacity. I have a very precise idea of when I want the relationship to shift. Just need to write my way to that particular episode. 
> 
> Thanks to all the lovely people who have been reading and especially leaving Kudos! You all keep me inspired.
> 
> On a side note, the Google Doc where I keep the raw chapters is officially over 100 (single spaced) pages long!


	16. Hunted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Originally chapter 16 and 17 were going to go into detail surrounding the events of Gone Gustav Gone and Have Dragon, Will Travel. However, I really struggled to have those flow organically for Tengan’s growth as a rider. (And I may have been getting impatient to get to the scene at the end of this chapter) And that’s even with glossing over all the episodes in between. Pretty much the first season of Race to the Edge comprises several small self contained adventures with a little bit of the main plot connecting them. For now, I’m skipping WAY ahead to Night of the Hunters. Who knows, when the fic is eventually complete I might come back to do the little filler chapters as an epilogue. If I end up writing them and sticking them in place later on, I’ll make a point to note it then. Also, please forgive any more than usual missed spelling or grammatical errors. I edited this chapter after having my eyes dilated at the doctors.

Almost five months had passed since the discovery of what the group would come to know as the Dragon Eye. It seemed the universe or someone watching up in Valhalla had an interesting sense of humor when it came to the Dragon Riders of Berk. More crazy adventures had been crammed into those twenty weeks than the last three years combined. Between wrestling a tooth from a Snow Wraith, building the outpost on Dragon’s Edge, partnering Stoick with a wild Rumblehorn, visiting the island of Dark Deep, and Astrid establishing a reserve group of riders to defend Berk in their absence, the Dragon Riders had barely a moment to breathe, let alone spend any quality time with their dragons. 

Of all the recent events, rediscovering Heather had shaken the group the most. She had really seemed to come into her own over the last few years by caring for her Razorwhip, Windshear. Learning that Dagur, the person responsible for the slaughter of her adoptive family, was actually her only remaining blood relative could not have been easy. Astrid had taken it the hardest when she decided to leave the Edge. Tengan couldn’t blame her. The two seemed to be cut from the same, intense cloth. A few nights after her departure, Tengan shared a horn of mead with her gloomy friend and lamented the loss of their ally. She had “evened out the girls’ side” as Astrid put it, and was still sorely missed.

On the first bright morning where no distress calls or responisibilies had awaited any of the Riders, it was no surprise Astrid had already disappeared on Stormfly before any of the others stumbled from their huts. According to her, early morning patrol flights were the best way to clear the head and get the blood pumping. The others, rising to the day on their own timetable for once, silently agreed to dedicate the day to focusing on their own interests.

From her balcony, Tengan could occasionally make out the delighted squeals from several captive boars as the twins whiled away the hours wrestling in the pit beneath their hut. She smiled and turned to head inside, stretching her arms over her head. Her hut had been taken a bit longer to finalize than she had anticipated, but it had been well worth the wait. Every wall had some kind of shelf or bookcase built into it. Currently, only half were full from the journals, scrolls, books, and medical supplies she had brought over from Berk. The others sat empty, waiting and almost taunting her with their underutilized space. In one corner, resting over a reinforced floor frame, sat a flat bed of shale where Rumble was currently curled up, snoring lightly. Across the room from the dragon’s napping spot was a wooden framed bed large enough for Tengan to sleep next to her usual nightly pile of books and journals without fear of rolling over into ink. Several layers of furs topped the straw filled mattress as the cliff side nature of the Rider’s new sleeping quarters often allowed drafts to flow easily through the stilted huts. In the center of the room stood a large, square wooden table. Resting in the center was a small, well used stone fire pit that served to provide both light and much needed warmth. Currently, well away from the smoldering embers, a flat expanse of parchment took up a good amount of the remaining surface. It was held down by different glittering rocks Fishlegs had gifted her and displayed her newest project; a map of the Edge and all the surrounding islands. Stacked near the edges of the map were notes on Dark Deep, Deathsong Isle, Wild Boar Island, several small clusters of sandbars littered with toxic Blue Oleander, and so on. 

“Alright Rumble.” Tengan yawned as she patted her snoozing dragon’s shoulder. “You take it easy today. Give me a shake when you get hungry. I’m spending the day reorganizing my notes.” With a content smile, she got to work.

Hours slipped by, totally unnoticed by the island’s inhabitants. It was only when the Sun began to slip towards the horizon and dark clouds gathered in the distance did a new figure block the open doorway of the Scribe’s hut. “Have you seen Astrid?” Hiccup asked urgently without dismounting. “No one else has all day and a storm is coming in.”

Tengan picked her head up from her hunched position over her map, blinking rapidly to focus on the dragon and boy before her. “No, I haven’t. We’ve been inside all day. Do you want help looking for her?” 

“Please.” Hiccup agreed, a note of stress in his voice. “She’s never been gone this long with the weather looking like this. Something’s wrong.”

Tengan nodded. “I agree. Go on.” She added as she began adjusting the loose straps on Rumble’s saddle. “Get the others together. We’ll meet you down by the arena.”

The storm had moved in faster than any of the riders could have anticipated. Failing to find their missing companion anywhere on the island, the teens braved the harsh weather to expand their search to the surrounding ocean. Several times, Tengan had to direct Rumble to intercept bolts of lightning that had come way too close to striking the others. If they didn’t find Astrid soon, or at least a safe place to release the excess energy, she wasn’t sure how much longer they could deflect the strikes. Rumble’s skin had started to nearly vibrate at her touch from the vast stores of electrical energy.

“We’re never going to find her like this!” Hiccup called out to the others over the howling winds. “We have to split up!”

“I’ll head south!” Snotlout immediately spoke up.

“And why is that?” Hiccup countered, voice still on edge. 

“Because Astrid likes to fly south and she’ll obviously be expecting me to rescue her!” Snotlut crossed his arms, a cocky smirk on his lips.

“Yeah, no way that’s happening.” Hiccup countered before turning Toothless to the south and taking off from the group.

“Whichever way you end up going, be careful!” Tegan called out to the retreating riders. “Rumble and I won’t be able to cover you all once we split up.” Seeing as the others had covered most of the area before them, Tengan turned Rumble around, making several passes over the space they had already flown over just in case the wind or current carried anything back towards them. Minutes ticked by as the rain continued to fall in icy sheets. For a horribly long while the only sound was the howl of the wind or the crash of not so distant thunder. Finally, a bit of shadow detached itself from a puff of dark cloud to the south. Tengan’s heart dropped as Hiccup and Toothless flew into view, the former supporting a shivering, almost unconscious Astrid on the latter’s back. “Get her back to my hut, quickly!” Tengan hollered as Rumble glided into place next to Toothless. Her brain rapidly searched itself for any information she could recall Gothi showing her on how to treat exposure. “Any sign of Stormfly?” She called after a minute.

“None!” Hiccup yelled back, clutching Astrid tighter to his chest as a strong wind rocked the dragons. “The others are heading back in soon if they can’t find her.”

“The sooner we’re all out of this storm, the better.” Tengan agreed as the pair landed on the balcony of her hut. Ignoring the damp seeping into her own bones, she threw the door open to her hut. With quick movements, she swept the typical pile of books and papers from her bed to the floor before gathering spare rags and herbs from her shelves. “Place her on the bed and get that fire going.” She ordered Hiccup sternly over her shoulder as three subsequent thuds announced the arrival of the other riders. 

“Any sign of Stormfly?” Hiccup asked the others quietly as he worked to fan the cold embers into a working flame.

“None.” Fishlegs answered meekly. “She’s a smart dragon. I’m sure she found her way out of the storm and will make it back when things settle down.”

“Perhaps.” Tengan added as she joined the group. “But for now we have to focus on Astrid. Ruffnut, I need you to grab some dry clothes from Astrid’s hut and meet me back here. The rest of you.” She gestured to the boys. “I need you to clear out until I call for you. She needs to be out of those wet clothes and I won’t have you gawking about while I work.” Her stern gaze met Hiccup as she finished.

Thankfully, they complied without complaint. Tengan had already stripped Astrid of her freezing wet outfit by the time Ruffnut returned. The two girls managed to help their shivering friend into a new set of dry clothes and get her to swallow a few mouthfuls of herbal tea before letting her settle in for the night.

As dawn broke the following morning, Hiccup paced softly past the other riders and in front of Tengan’s bed where Astrid still laid unconscious. “Any idea when she’ll wake up?” He whispered.

Tengan, puffy eyed from trading watches with Ruffnut all through the night, shook her head. “She’s been through a lot. Let her rest. We’re lucky she doesn’t have a fever after being in the water for who knows how long.”

As if on cue, Astrid began to stir fitfully, nervous groans escaping her lips. Before the others could converge on her, she sat up with a gasp. “Stormfly!” She wheezed before doubling over, panting slightly.

Tengan scrambled to her feet and pressed a fresh mug of tea into her friends hands. “Drink. Now.” She encouraged with a gentle but unwavering tone.

“It’s alright.” Hiccup lowered himself on the edge of the bed, taking Astrid’s free hand into his as he settled. “Just try to relax. You had a tough night.”

Astrid cradled the warm earthen mug to her chest as she gazed hazily up at her somber faced friends. “No no no.” She asserted weakly as she tried to swing her legs over the edge of the bed. “They were all in cages. And they have Stormfly!”

A shock of unease ricocheted through the Riders. Hiccup was the fastest to recover. “Woah, woah. Slow down. Cages? What are you talking about?” His gaze softened. “What happened out there?”

Astrid glanced down into her gently steaming mug of tea. “Dragon hunters. A whole fleet of them. They have Stormfly!” She struggled to escape the blankets once more. “This big, ugly one… Oh when I get my hands on him!”

“And welcome back.” Fishlegs murmured with a small smile.

Tengan placed a firm hand on Astrid’s shoulder. “We will get Stormfly back. But first we need to make sure you’re alright.”

“I’m fine!” Astrid asserted, reaching her free hand up to shrug off Tengan’s grip.

“I’m sure you are.” The darker girl spoke calmly. “I just need to see you drink that mug and eat a little mutton. Then we’ll all go out and make those dragon hunters sorry they ever messed with one of ours.”

Hiccup nodded, his determined expression mirroring the emotions bubbling beneath the surface of the group. “She's right. Eat first. Then we’ll go. You can ride with me.”

Tengan was mildly surprised the food and tea stayed down with the speed Astrid inhaled them. In what felt like next to no time, the group had gathered on the shore of the island Astrid had last flown over the day before. Each rider spread out on the beach, eyes combing the abandoned camp and surrounding sand for any clues as to where the hunters would be headed next. 

“Ugh!” Astrid called out after almost half an hour of searching. “There has to be some clues here! Somewhere! Something!”

“How many cages were there?” Hiccup asked calmly.

“Remember the number of cages we saw on the Reaper? Double them.” Astrid snapped back as she began to pace the shoreline again.

The group's attention shifted back to searching for several more moments before Snotlout crumpled to the ground, howling in pain while clutching his foot. “Something bit me! Is it a sand crab? I’m allergic!” He blubbered, rocking back and forth.

Astrid rushed over to the downed viking, yanking his foot higher to inspect the wound. She extracted the offending object as the other riders crowded around. “It’s a dragon hunter arrow. Stormfly was hit with one right before she was caught. I’ve never seen her act so out of control.”

Fishlegs gently took the arrow tip from Astrid before turning it in the sunlight. “Interesting.” He licked the iridescent green tip on the head. “Unexpected and… tangy? It seems to be some kind of refined Dragon Root. I’ve heard in large concentrations it can render a dragon unable to fly. Just one quiver of these arrows can decimate an entire flock of dragons.”

“How are we ever going to find them!” Astrid threw her arms up in desperation. “We’ve found nothing that can tell us where they’re going.”

“True.” Hiccup acquiesced as he took the barbed head from Fishlegs. He angled the coated weapon until a sigil clearly shone through. “But we do know where they’ve been.”

Tengan squinted at the marking. “That looks eerily similar to the symbols on the ships wrecked in Johann’s graveyard.”

“Then that’s where we’re headed.” Astrid all but growled as she stalked back to Toothless.

The flight back to the graveyard was swift and mostly silent. Each of the teens were acutely aware of time slipping through their fingers. The longer it took to find Stormfly, the harder it would be to recover her. Once in the fog banks, Tengan stayed aloft, circling overhead with Rumble while the others searched the ship. Every once in a while, one of the area's enormous eels would slither hopefully towards the boat. Rumble had only enjoyed the pleasure of taking chunks out of two before they decided against any further attacks.

It wasn’t long before the others rejoined her in the air, Hiccup holding a new Dragon Eye lens aloft. “We found a new lens below deck. But we need Changewing acid to use it.”

Tengan exhaled in exhaustion. “Changewing island it is then.”

Thankfully, the flight was relatively short and saw the riders touching down just over an hour later. Several times, Tengan found herself glancing up at the sky. It was already early afternoon. The hunters already had a full day and a half lead on them.

Surprisingly enough, it was Tuffnut who managed to coax (more like annoy) acid from an ornery Changewing, and in record time too. 

“Bonus points for getting it on Snotlout's helmet.” Ruffnut whispered to her twin as the group huddled in a nearby dark cave to read the newly revealed map.

“It looks like a series of ports.” Hiccup squinted to read the marking in the green lighting. “And that one looks like the closest one to where Stormfly was taken. They must be heading there.”

“Then that’s where we’re going.” Astrid slammed the hilt of her axe against the rock wall behind her for emphasis.

“One question.” Fishlegs spoke up. “How are we going to avoid those arrows?”

“Funny you should mention that Mr. Gronckle Rider. For my plan to work, someone is going to have to get shot.” Hiccup replied with a small smirk as he led the group out of the small cave and back to their waiting dragons.

“I really don’t like where this is going.” Fishlegs groaned as he climbed back into the saddle.

Tengan shifted uncomfortably in the saddle as the hunter’s ships came into view a couple hours later. The plan, while straightforward, and discussed in painstaking detail the entire flight, still left a lot open to error.

“Everyone ready?” Hiccup called out as the passed overhead. “Fishlegs, now!”

On cue, their ranks broke. Tengan baked left, utilizing Rumble’s speed to avoid arrow fire as he buffeted their sails with his wake. A nearby scream informed her the plan was working; Meatlug had been hit and was “crashing” onto the lead ship. “Ok Rumble, lay down some cover fire and get us out of here!” She smirked as her dragon, full to capacity from last night’s storm, let loose a blinding white bolt of lightning towards the ship.

The bright light from the blast forced several enemy shots to go astray. However, many more still sailed true. As Hiccup and Toothless dodged an exceptionally large boulder, Astrid was knocked from the saddle and, before anyone could dive to catch her, was caught in a loose chain trailing alongside the lead ship.

“Hiccup we need to fall back!” Snotlout yelled as Astrid was pulled on deck and shoved below after Meatlug and Fishlegs.

“He’s right.” Tengan called out as they regrouped. She fought to keep her voice steady as her heart raced. “She’s with Fishlegs. All we can do now is wait for them to spring the trap. Until then, we need to get under cover.”

Hiccup, clearly torn, eventually nodded once, his jaw apparently too tight to speak. He led Hookfang, Rumble, and Barf and Belch higher where the group settled into to circle and wait. Thankfully, their patience was soon rewarded as Meatlug, followed closely by Astrid, Stormfly, and Fishlegs, broke through a wooden door and onto the deck.

“Now!” Hiccup cried, leading the airborne group into a dive. “Cover them while they get away!”

“Something’s wrong.” Tengan mumbled to herself as they closed in. “Why aren’t the guards doing anything?”

As the group closed in, several things sprang into action at once. On the deck of the ship, multiple bolas were fired from cannons at the escaped dragons, effectively hobbling them. Anyone not recapturing Meatlug and Stormfly loosed a volley of green-tipped arrows into the advancing riders. 

“No!” Tengan screamed, yanking Rumble out of the dive. “Gotta get out of here before-” A dull thud and pained roar cut her sentence off as Rumble spiraled downward, his tongue lolling out his mouth. “It’s a trap! We’re hit! Get out of-” Her sentence cut short as she was knocked out of the saddle by a flailing wing. Bracing for impact, she shut her eyes as she and Rumble crashed into the icy water. As the bubbles surrounding them began to clear, a heavy chain net snagged over their bodies, dragging them unceremoniously onto the lead ship. “Not this again.” Tengan growled, struggling the small amount the net allowed her as Rumble’s twitching body was deposited on the deck.

“Your pathetic tricks won’t work on me!” A deep, taunting voice boomed over the water. “I’m a dragon hunter! I know Gronkles are immune to Dragon Root. I used your pathetic escape plan to lure your friends in closer.” The large man sneered down at the captive teens. “Take them and their dragons below!”

Tengan thrashed for several moments as the net was removed and a guard slammed her to the deck. She managed to sink her teeth into his bracer as he confiscated her sword and earned a strong backhand for her efforts. Woozy from the hit, she could only call desperately out to Rumble, still unable to get his feet under him, as she was herded below deck and into a cell with the other captive riders. She glanced around nervously at her friends, exhaling slightly when it seemed none of them were seriously injured. “Wait.” She performed a second headcount. “Did Snotlout and Hiccup get away?”

“Yeah, but Hookfang was hit.” Fishlegs groaned pathetically. 

Astrid, catching sight of the imposing commander, shoved past the group to slam herself against the unforgiving bars. “Where are our dragons!?” She bellowed, entirely unrestrained. “What have you done with them?!”

“If I were you.” He responded calmly, face impassive. “I’d worry about yourselves.”

Footsteps echoed on the wood as several people made their way below deck. Most of them were just as large and burly as the commander, but two smaller figures caught the eyes of the riders. One with short cropped, uneven firey hair, and the other with a long, black braid.

“Heather?” Astrid bleated in pure shock.

“No way.” Tuffnut gasped, his jaw dropping in shock.

“Surprise!” Dagur slid sideways into view of the cage, his arms spread wide. “Did you miss me? I know you did.” His eyes flicked to Tengan momentarily. “Have you all met my sister? Of course you have! You guys were pals and little buddy buddies.” He devolved into malicious giggles.

“Hey, family is family.” Heather added with a cool, taunting tone the group hadn’t heard her use in years.

“I can’t believe this, Heather.” Astrid spoke quietly as her shoulders sagged.

“Well, it may not be Dragon’s Edge. But it’s something.” The dark hair girl sneered. “Enjoy your new home, guys. You’ll be here a while.”

The taunting laughter faded as the group plodded on, leaving the captured Riders to sulk in their featureless cell. Their mood sank as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting dark shadows along the ship’s brig.

“Dagur’s here?” Fishlegs eventually broke the silence. “And Heather’s working with him? I don’t believe it.” He sighed, letting his body slide along the wall to the hard floor.

“Trusting her turned out to be a big mistake.” Astrid said bitterly, her back to the others.

“Yeah who puts loyalty to their brother ahead of loyalty to their friends?” Ruffnut added with an air of someone trying to inject humor into a heavy situation.

“I’m more concerned about who these hunters are working for.” Tengan spoke up from the far corner where she sat huddled against the wall. “This operation is too big for them to be doing this alone.”

“You’re about to find out.” Heather’s cool voice carried through the bars as she approached, flanked on either side by large guards. “Ryker wants to have a little chat with you, Astrid.” She motioned to the guards, who deftly unlocked the cell, shoved Astrid out of it, and quickly secured it before the other Riders could think to react.

Astrid’s voice trailed away as Heather shoved her down the hall. “You’re lucky these guards are here or I’d take your head off.”

Tengan sighed heavily, staring up at her friends. “I hate to say it. But we should probably try to get some sleep . I don’t think we’re in any danger just yet and they’ll probably want to question us all before sunrise. Better we get what little shuteye we can now, so we can fight for our dragons tomorrow.” Her voice wavered at the end of her sentence as she imagined Rumble, battered and caged, somewhere on the ship.

With defeated mumbling, the others agreed and settled into varying positions on the cramped floor. Sleep did not come easily but, as the boat rocked gently on the waves, it eventually overtook the Riders one by one.

Tengan stirred as the first rays of sunlight streamed into the hold through the small gap under the wooden door leading out to the deck. “Is Astrid not back yet?” She mumbled to the room at large.

Her question was answered as a guard slammed the cell open, shoved an unstable Astrid inside, and slammed it back closed, jerking the others awake in the process.

“Astrid! Are you alright?” Fishlegs asked as he scrambled to his feet.

“Yeah.” Her reply was weary. “Just tired. They questioned me all night. Wouldn’t let me sleep. Dagur and Heather wouldn’t let up. That Ryker guy mostly stares.”

“But you didn’t talk, right?” Ruffnut, still seated with her knees drawn to her chest, lifted her head from her arms.

“Actually, I did.” Astrid confessed weakly. “They wanted to know about the Dragon Eye. It’s very important to the hunters. They’ve been looking for it for a long time.”

“And where did you tell them it was, loose lips?” Ruffnut shot back bitterly.

“Back on Dragon’s Edge, being guarded by all the riders we left behind under command of Captain Gustav!” Her voice rose in volume as she spoke.

Tengan shifted to sit straighter and exchanged glances with the others. Peeking around the corner, she made sure the guard disappeared behind a door before whispering. “Good plan. You bought us some time.”

Astrid sighed before wearily sinking into a seated position. “It was all I could think of to keep them away from Dragon’s Edge. We need to get out of here before Ryker sends someone to check. Any ideas?”

The next hour saw the Riders whispering half formed ideas and possible escape plans to one another. The least likely plan involved Ruffnut somehow marrying and divorcing one of the guards. Over time, Tuffnut’s idea to tunnel out of the ship using only a single discarded wooden mug seemed more reasonable.

Their planning was interrupted as the lock on the cage turned once more. The door swung open to reveal Heather, flanked by her usual platoon of guards. “Ryker wants to see all of you. Get moving.”

Glaring, Tengan plodded stiffly along at the back of the group, casting a wary glare at the guard stationed behind her now and again. Their trip, although heading deeper into the hull of the ship, was short. Tengan found herself glaring at her traitorous friend as Dagur and Ryker emerged from a side room.

“I am Ryker.” The booming voice echoed slightly in the small room. “This is my ship and you are my prisoners. Your dragons are now my dragons.” He smirked down at the battered teens.

“And how they’re treated is entirely up to you!” Dagur taunted, his signature manic grin in place. “Would you care to see?”

Tengan bit back a colorful response as she and her friends were shunted down a hall to a large room dotted with more cell doors on either side. Each of the cells held a captive dragon. Poor Meatlug was being force fed large quantities of metal before being jostled around until she regugiated the mixture in a seemingly endless cycle. Slightly further down, Stormfly was already displaying several minor cuts as men jabbed at her face with spears until she fired off spines into waiting shields. Barf and Belch were being treated the best of the group, if only for the moment. A couple men alternated between feeding and massaging oil on the lounging dragon to prepare it’s skin to be sold as a pelt. Right across from them, in a cell flooded with water, and muzzled for good measure was-

“Rumble!” Tengan began to move towards the bars, her eyes scanning him for any hint of injury. She grunted as she was roughly pulled back into line.

“Consider him my payment for helping the hunters take Hiccup’s little group down.” Dagur chuckled into her ear as he shoved her back into place. “Should have taken my deal when you had the chance.”

“This is the fate that awaits all your dragons.” Ryker stated smoothly. “Of course they could get better treatment.” Grabbing an empty container of oil from one of the guards, he hurled it towards the teens with considerable force. “Start talking! Tell me what you know about the dragon eye! Exactly how many riders guard your base!?”

Ruffnut, apparently pushed to her breaking point, threw herself at the nearest guard. “Oh please don’t kill my dragon!” She blubbered desperately, throwing her arms around the guard as she slowly slid to the ground. “I’ll do anything!” She continued to sob for several more seconds before, seemingly on a whim, standing back up and retreating towards the group, entirely composed. “Sorry. Lost my head for a second there.”

“Something you and your dragon might have in common soon.” Ryker sneered. “Take them back to their cell and out of my sight!”

Tengan stole a final fleeting glance at her dragon, who strained desperately against his muzzle before she was shunted back through the halls and towards their cell. She waited until the guards had left them once more before pacing, a surge of furious energy fueling her limbs. “We need to get out of here and fast.”

“I’ve memorized the guards patrol routes.” Astrid glanced down the hall as if to confirm something. “And I have a plan, but we’ll need a way out of this cell first.”

“You mean, like this key?” Ruffnutt smirked as she withdrew the small metal key from her jacket. “Took it off the guard back there. You know you all should listen to me more. I do have pretty good ideas once in a while.”

Tengan’s face broke into a gin. “Ruff, you’re amazing. Now, let’s get out of here!”

Astrid nodded once, face set. “Alright, let’s split up, get our dragons, and get out of here. Once in the air, fly straight up and out of range of those arrows. Everyone ready?” When the others nodded she turned to the cell. “Guard, guard! I can’t take it anymore! I’ll tell Ryker everything he wants to know!”

Tengan almost felt bad for the headache the guard was surely going to have after Astrid knocked him out with the cell door. Almost. Bidding her friends good luck, Tengan padded quietly with the twins back towards the hall where their dragons were stored. Sliding the stall door open, she slipped inside. “I’m here boy.” She murmured comfortingly as she caressed under Rumble’s chin. Quickly she assessed the situation. A strong metal muzzle, one barely large enough for him, had been forced over his head before being attached to the wall by a heavy chain. The floor was slightly pitted and allowed for a couple inches of standing water. Encouraging the Skrill to stay quiet, she began to tug at the corners of the muzzle just as a clanging bell rang out somewhere above her. “Dragon dung.” She whispered harshly, head whipping towards the sound of approaching boots. “Comeon Rumble, let’s get you out of here.” She whispered urgently as she struggled desperately against his chains. Her movements slowed to a stop as she noticed her dragon’s eyes narrow at something just behind her left shoulder.

“Don’t you ever learn?” Dagur growled as he lunged forward, grabbing and pinning Tengan’s arms behind her back.

“Let me go!” She struggled, aware her movements were rather sluggish after two nights of poor sleep and several missed meals. 

“Not as feisty today, eh?” Dagur taunted as he wrestled her out of the cage and into the hall where two other guards held the twins at bay with raised crossbows.

“Rumble! I’ll be back for you!” Tengan cried out weakly as her dragon strained pitifully against his bonds, vocalizing desperately as she was dragged away.

Dagur laughed as he marched the small group onto the deck. “Oh I highly doubt that. Keep filling your own little head with these delusions though. It’s quite entertaining.” With a harsh shove, he released Tengan towards the other recaptured Riders. Sneering, he climbed up a set of stairs to join Ryker, who had been glaring down impassively. “Did I or did I not warn you about this group? They never give up. Ryker, can we please work together on this? You know dragons, and I know dragon riders.” His face split into its usual crazed grin. “Oh oh! You should throw one overboard to teach them a lesson. You know, send a message.”

“Or” Heather spoke up as she deposited a bruised Astrid into the mix. “You could have them work for you. Split them up so they can’t make any more escape attempts. Make them serve you as their dragons do.”

Ryker laughed, a joyless, sadistic sound. “Oh, I like that. Guess we know who got the brains in your family, eh Dagur?”

“Was there ever really any doubt?” Tengan spoke a bit too loudly before she could stop herself. Despite the sniggers her quip earned from her friends, Dagur’s dark glare promised her she’d regret her outburst.

“Should have kept my big mouth shut.” Tengan mumbled under her breath a little while later as she knelt in front of a reclining Dagur. Several piles of cracked, dry, and scuffed leather armor lay before her. Once she had finished cleaning and oiling all of that, she was to polish all of the shields and chain armor. Problem was, Dagur had insisted she start by shining his boots. No matter how hard she worked, they never seemed to be clean enough for the Berserker.

“You know.” He mused, smirking down at her. “I rather like this. You look much better kneeling at my feet.”

Tengan opened her mouth to retort before biting her lip and getting back to work on his boots. Occasionally her eyes flicked to a pile of weapons in the far corner. Among several obviously stolen pieces were Astrid’s favorite axe and the sword Makara had given her at the start of her journey. Forcing her gaze back to the task at hand, Tengan sat back on her heels to rest. “Are they clean enough now?” She spoke through gritted teeth.

Dagur, grinning down at the girl, barely even glanced at his boots. “Not even close. You’ll have to do better than that.” He leaned forward slowly, dropping his voice. “Unless, you enjoy this? Hmm? Would you rather spend all day working on Daddy Dagur’s boots?”

Tengan was saved from the almost certain flogging her response would have brought when a sentry burst into the room. “Dragons sighted off the port bow!”

Dagur paused only long enough to drag Tengan along with him by her upper arm as he scrambled to meet with Ryker and Heather on deck. “It’s Hiccup and that Snothat.” He sneered, glaring as the two dragons approached in a steady, straight line. “I don’t believe it!” He devolved into a fit of laughter, his grip on her arm loosening. “He’s coming straight in! Suicide run! I didn’t think he had it in him!”

“Fool.” Ryker grumbled in disbelief.

“Hiccup is many things, but he’s no fool. What is he up to?” Heather folded her arms, deep in thought as she tracked the approaching dragons.

Ryker chuckled. “Well I’ll be sure to ask him after I’ve knocked his Night Fury out of the sky!” He held one arm aloft. “Archers! Fire at will!

Tengan, yanking her arm out of Dagur’s grip, gasped as several volleys of arrows flew towards Toothless and Hookfang. “No!” She cried out as they made their mark.

“Yes!” Dagur cheered, jumping for joy. His laughter subsided as the two dragons flew on, unaffected by the poison. “Wait, what?!” Pulling a spyglass from his belt, he trained it quickly on the pair. “They have some kind of dragon armor!” He shouted in disbelief.

As if on cue, Hookfang and Toothless blasted the deck, forcing everyone to duck for cover. Tengan, taking advantage of the chaos, darted back into the armory and made a beeline for hers and Astrid’s weapons. Finally armed again she ran as quickly as she dared towards the hold, pausing only to step into a shadow or corner as more guards ran past to deal with the distraction Hiccup and Snotlout had provided. She grinned as Astrid, Fishlegs and the twins joined her. “Astrid, here!” She cheered, tossing the recovered axe to her friend. “I’ll see you all topside!”

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Fishlegs called out as he severed Matlug’s chain with an axe abandoned by a fleeing guard.

Tengan darted into the larger cells at the back of the ship, accompanied by the twins. Forcing Rumble’s stall wide open, she stumbled as the ship shuddered from another impact.

“Do you need help with that?” Tuffnut called out as he helped his sister lead Barf and Belch towards the exit.

“No, just go!” Tengan cried out as she fell against Rumble’s side. “You can help by clearing a path for us to follow!”

“With pleasure.” Ruffnut grinned as she, her brother, and their dragon disappeared down the hall, Zippleback gas trailing behind them.

Tengan, her heart racing, threw her weight against the tight muzzle as Rumble pulled in the opposite direction. When that failed to even budge it, she tugged at the point where the chain connected to the wall, only to find it had been welded on using Gronkle Iron. “It’s all metal. I can’t cut it!” She cried out in desperation. “How are we going to get this off?!”

“Oh that’s easy. You just need this key.” Dagur stepped into the hall, twirling a single key on a metal ring in one hand while his other brandished an axe. “So predictable. Did you really think I’d just use the water trick again after last time? If you plan on leaving here with MY dragon, you’ll have to get through me first.” 

Tengan sighed before lifting her sword, rolling her sore shoulders in a quick attempt to limber up. “I still owe you for making me shine your boots a dozen times.” She growled, stepping out of the cage and into the larger hall.

“Come and get me then.” Dagur challenged, shoving the key in his pocket.

With a battle cry even Astrid would be proud of, Tengan launched herself at the Berserker, arms vibrating as their metal connected. She jumped back and pushed forward again, aiming towards his hip. Between the long days and hard labor she was slower than usual. All of her attacks were blocked effortlessly. It almost felt as if Dagur was toying with her rather than defending himself.

“You look tired.” He remarked after a few exchanges. He deflected another blow with an exaggerated yawn. “Are you done yet? Good. My turn.” He shifted his grip on the axe and began a flurry of brutal swings, each one clattering against Tengan’s sword.

It was all she could do to hold him off. With each exchange, she found herself taking a step back. Her arms began to burn from the force of defending herself and her lungs fought for air. Another step backwards and her foot caught on a discarded tankard. Stumbling backwards several steps, her back slammed into the wooden hull of the ship. Dagur’s axe blade closed the gap immediately. She barely managed to bring her own weapon up to connect with it. From her position, all she could do was strain against his weight as he leaned against the weapons.

“Any last words?” He taunted darkly.

‘Need to distract.’ She thought quickly, her eyes darting around what little of the room she could still see. Dagur was leaning in so closely, she could hardly make out anything past him. ‘Need to do something that will throw him off balance, but what?’ As her eyes flicked to his, a reckless idea popped into her mind. “Yes actually.” She wheezed. “You were right. You were always right. I should have gone with you when I had the chance. Back when we first met.”

Dagur’s brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, what now?” He asked quickly, his grip loosening ever so slightly.

‘Here goes nothing.’ Tengan thought bitterly as she forced a small smile on her lips. With the little freedom of movement she had, she forced their weapons down and threw her weight forward. Her lips crashed into his with a bit more force than she had intended. The initial contact was more of a bumping of their faces rather than an actual kiss. Closing her eyes tightly, she leaned into the contact, angling her face to capture more of his lips. For several heartbeats nothing happened as Dagur stiffened underneath her. Then, she felt his body relax as his axe fell to his side. Pressing her advantage, she chanced letting her sword clatter to the floor and brought her hands up to his chest, still refusing to break the kiss. She forced him backwards for several steps before finally pulling her face away from his and opening her eyes.

Dagur blinked rapidly, mouth slightly agape. His grip on his axe failed completely and it thudded dully as it sank into the floor.

Tengan smiled sweetly, maintaining eye contact as she brought one hand up to eye level between them, the key delicately wrapped in her fingers. “Thanks a lot!” She giggled and shoved him into an empty cell with her free hand before he could react.

Dagur’s back slammed against the back of the cell before he could move freely again. He scrambled forward just in time to see the door booming shut. “GET BACK HERE!” He hollered, shaking the bars with his full strength.

Tengan, having freed Rumble and retrieved her sword, simply scoffed. “Better luck next time, Dagur!” Without a backward glance, she hugged her dragon’s neck, snuggling into his warm side before taking off down the hall with him, following the sounds of chaos. The twins had done an excellent job of clearing an escape route. Several scorch marks and a few still burning planks of wood were the only things they encountered on their way to the deck. Once out in the open, she quickly mounted and took off, encouraging Rumble to loose a cascade of lightning as cover fire as she ascended to join the group. “Did you leave any fun for me?”

“Yeah Tengan! That’s everybody!” Hiccup cheered. “Let’s get out of here gang!” He circled the unarmored members of the group until they were well out of crossbow range. “By the way, did I see Dagur on that ship back there?!”

“Not JUST Dagur!” Ruffnut shouted eagerly.

“We have a lot to fill you in on, Hiccup.” Astrid added with a heavy sigh.

“It seems you guys do too.” Fishlegs chimed in as he sidled up to Hookfangs. “Screaming Death armor? Impressive!”

“It was all Snotlout!” Hiccup gestured to the Jorgenson, beaming proudly.

“I’ll definitely have to get with you to draw the patterns and take notes on the construction!” Tengan smiled at Snotlout as she laid flat on Rumble’s back, her arms squeezing his neck in a constant hug. ‘And maybe we can forget to jot down the whole kissing Dagur thing.’

Hiccup laughed, eyes flicking to each of his team flying safely alongside him. “You mean after you’ve eaten and had a nap.”

“You know me so well.” Tengan smiled back, eyes already drooping. While the hunters were certainly a formidable threat, especially with Heather and Dagur lending them a hand, nothing ever seemed impossible when the seven of them flew together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo it only took 16 chapters and 118 pages to get to their first kiss! Too bad they still hate each other. Or do they? Who knows!


	17. The Worth of a Rider

Tengan sat with her feet dangling over the balcony of her hut, eyes unfocused as she lazily tracked the Night Terrors returning to their patrol huts after a long night. She attempted to remain focused on her breathing as the Sun slowly climbed in the sky. This was the first morning in a long while she had to herself. Everyone, dragons included, had come away from their encounter with the hunters with several cuts and scrapes. Nothing life threatening, just things that she preferred to look at and treat before another life or death situation could call them to action.

Admittedly, her task had become a bit harder when Snotlout had convinced Tuffnut he was transforming into a Lycanwing for almost a week. Between Tuff’s extra scrapes and Snotlout “helping” Ruffnut by collecting as many different dragon bite marks as he could to compare, her hut hadn’t actually been empty since the day before they fished Astrid out of the sea. The poor Jorgenson boy had been so delirious from all the venom in his system, Tengan had let him sleep in her bed for three days as her medicine took effect. Those nights had been spent camping with Rumble on his hard stone slab of a bed. A perfect place to sleep if you were a dragon. Not so perfect for a scribe.

Closing her eyes, Tengan sighed and stretched as she spent several moments just enjoying her surroundings. The steady, slow breathing as Rumble slept on behind her, the warmth seeping into her bones from the early morning sunlight, the memory of Dagur’s surprisingly soft lips hidden under the rough scratches of his uneven beard.

“Agh!!” She groaned out in barely a whisper, bringing her hands up to clasp on either side of her head. Every time she closed her eyes or let her guard down for even a moment, that kiss never failed to float to the front of her mind. “This is all because of that supid conversation with Heather and Astrid.” She grumbled to no one in particular as another memory drifted to the forefront of her mind.

*********

‘So, you and Hiccup are a thing, right?’ Heather had asked Astrid slyly, casting a wink in Tengan’s direction.

‘What?! No! We’re just friends!’ Astrid asserted all too quickly, throwing her hands up in defense.

Heather crossed her arms and shared a knowing smirk with Tengan before pressing on. ‘He’s kinda cute, don’t you think?’

‘Oh definitely.’ Tengan chimed in, her grin growing. 

‘I mean, I guess. If you like the dashing, heroic, dragon rider type.’ Astrid avoided their eyes as she spoke, fidgeting with her hair in the process. ‘Now you and Snotlout’ Astrid plowed on as she gestured towards Heather, desperate to shift the conversation away from her and Hiccup’s mutual unspoken attraction. ‘That’s a match made in Valhalla.’ She broke into a fit of giggles at the end of her statement, unable to keep a straight face.

It had taken several moments for the girls to catch their breath before Heather could respond. ‘I can handle Snotlout. Besides, I’m not into the macho Viking type.’

‘Oh?’ Tengans attention had piqued. ‘Then, pray tell, what is your type?’

‘Well,’ It was Heather’s turn to avoid eye contact. ‘I like a little smarts. Like... Fishlegs.’ She smiled as she spoke the Gronkle rider’s name.

‘Fishlegs?!’ Tengan and Astrid cried out in unison, matching wolfish grins on their faces.

‘What?!’ Heather shrugged, trying a little too hard to sound impassive. ‘I think he’s funny and cute.’

‘We’re talking about the guy with the Gronkle?’ Astrid teased lightly.

‘Alright, alright.’ Heather laughed good naturedly. ‘What about you, Tenagn? What’s your type? Surely you’ve met a lot of guys.’

‘Actually’ Tengan squirmed a bit under her friends’ gaze. ‘No, not really.’

‘What!” Astrid cried out in unabashed disbelief. ‘Aren’t you older than us? And don’t your people travel like, everywhere?’

Tengan huffed. ‘I’m not THAT much older than you two, you know!’ She glared at the two expectant teens for a moment before sighing. ‘And my people travel a lot but I never did. I started my two years later than most and all my time before that was spent helping my mother care for our library.’

‘Woah woah, are you telling me you’ve never even kissed anyone?’ Heather leaned in, eyes wide and curious.

Tengan bit her lip before shaking her head. ‘No…. well, not really. There were a few friends of mine growing up. When we were about ten or so we tried kissing each other to see what the appeal was. But never like a REAL kiss, you know? So far my most romantic moment was when Gustav dropped me while dancing…. Unless you count all those times Snotlout came crawling to my hut to, how did he put it? Oh yes, ‘play doctor’.’

The three girls had dissolved into laughter for several minutes after that remark. Anytime one would start to calm down, she’d catch sight of the other two and double over once more.

‘Alright, alright.’ Heather finally had gasped between giggles. ‘No more boy talk. Let’s get back to-’

*********

Tengan jumped slightly as Rumble plopped his large head on her lap, pulling her out of her reminiscing state. Smiling, she let her fingers dance softly along the sensitive scales framing his eyes. “Thanks boy.” She planted a small kiss on the crown of his head, shivering slightly at the tingles left behind from his charged skin. “You’re the only man I need in my life right now. What do you say we head down to the arena? Hiccup wanted to run accuracy drills this morning.”

Within the hour the team had assembled and lined up along the dome of the arena as, one by one, they performed close combat strikes on several targets while guiding their dragons to maneuver in tight circles. They had decided to practice in the silently agreed upon established order of Astrid, Hiccup, Tengan, Snotlout, the twins, and, finally, Fishlegs.

Tengan, having just completed her turn with more or less her usual degree of success, settled on her dragon’s back to wait for her turn to come up again. Her fingers fidgeted under the front edge of her saddle as Hookfang soared past them, carrying his usual scent of smoldering wood. ‘Dagur smelled like a Monstrous Nightmare up close. But with something else. Almost a… spice? Much nicer than I thought he would-’ She shook her head violently to empty her mind, coming back to the task at hand just in time to watch Snotlout wipe out.

“I’m not patching you up again!” she half shouted/half chuckled at the downed viking. “I’ve finally gotten your smell out of my bed from last week!”

Snotlout, shifting to lie on his side, propped his head up with one hand in a clearly feeble attempt to salvage the situation. “Ladies love the natural musk.” He winked, wincing as the scraped skin on his face stretched.

A voice drifted to the group from the far side of the arena. “You really should loosen your grip a little.” The viking called out good naturedly, dismounting his Nadder before approaching. “It maximizes the bone-shattering potential.”

“Spitelout!” Hiccup called back in greeting. “What a… pleasant” he emphasized the word as if it were a question “surprise. What are you doing here?”

Spitelout cast a judgemental gaze around the arena, eyes lingering on the beaten down weapons rack before responding. “I come with news from Berk. There’s to be a union tomorrow between two families. Our family, house Jorgensen, and Astrid’s family, house Hoffersons.”

Tengan temporarily lost the thread of the conversation as Astrid and Snotlout spent several moments expressing shock at the upcoming union.

“There hasn’t been a union since I landed at Berk a few years ago.” Tengan commented mildly to Fishlegs. “I’ve read a bit about them and heard a few stories but-”

“Oh!!” Fishlegs cut her off with an excited squeak. “There really is no comparison to actually being present at one! I love union ceremonies!”

“Yeah.” Hiccup interjected mildly. “They’re actually pretty nice.”

“Glad you think so!” Spitelout gestured towards Hiccup. “Your father expects you there tomorrow morning bright and early along with Snotlout and Astrid. You’ll be representing the Haddocks.”

Between Spitelout impressing the importance of Snotlout transporting his house’s ceremonial axe to the matrimonial island, Fishlegs gushing over union ceremonies, and Astrid’s loud complaints to anyone and everyone in earshot, Tengan found herself waiting quietly with the nonplussed twins for a few minutes after Spitelout’s departure before she could get a word into the conversation again.

“Hey, Hiccup?” She cut in. “Think anyone will mind if I tag along? A union ceremony is something I haven’t seen yet. I’d love to learn first hand about how Berkians celebrate matrimony.”

“Oh, Thor, please let her come along.” Astrid added in exasperation. “Please. I can’t do this alone.”

“Hey! I’m coming too!” Hiccup shot back, his hurt tone betraying his mild expression. “But yeah, sure. Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then let’s go already!” Snotlout tossed the axe between his hands. “I want to get there early to show my dad I’m MORE than capable to deliver a stupid axe. Better than Hedgelout anyway.”

Tengan chuckled lightly. “Someday, I’ll have to write down that man’s story. How exactly does one lose both arms in a mutton accident anyways?”

After Hiccup gave the twins an extensive list of rules and placed Fishlegs temporarily in charge, the trio took to the skies, gliding easily on a generous tailwind.

“So, no one has ever really explained it in detail to me.” Tengan spoke up after a while as she stretched to retrieve a well worn journal from Rumble’s saddlebag. “How do viking union ceremonies happen? How do they start?”

“Well.” Astrid cut in before either of the boys could speak up. “Usually, after two people have decided they eventually want to spend their lives together, they write out a formal betrothal declaration and present it to the heads of their families.”

“After that’s formally accepted by both sides,” Hiccup continued, twisting in Toothless’ saddle to be heard better. “one partner will present the other with a betrothal gift. Necklaces are traditional but it can be anything.”

“Yeah.” Snotlout interjected. “My cousin gave his girl a black lamb that had her initials sheared into its side.”

“How romantic.” Astrid commented dryly. “The ceremony itself is pretty simple after that. There’s a scroll present containing the words each person says. The officiator binds their hands and then the entire collection of people sit down to a four hundred boar feast.”

“Interesting.” Tengan murmured while scribbling rapidly in her book, her knees gripping tightly to keep her stable in the saddle.

“Wait.” Snotlout called out. “Is that NOT what you do back home? Do you guys, you know, even do union ceremonies?”

“SNOTLOUT!” Astrid and Hiccup yelled back in unison.

“No, it’s alright.” Tengan nodded her head patiently. “Yes Snotlout, we do have union ceremonies back home. They just aren’t like yours. About half of my people choose partners from the tribe while the other half find them while out gathering knowledge. No one partner is considered better than any other. When they decide to be together, they usually spend some time apart to write journals detailing their time together. From when they first met to the present day.”

“Of course they do.” Snotlout commented, clearly amused.

Tengan ignored his interruption. “Many choose to continue their journals long after the ceremony and will look back on it with their partner on special occasions. The actual ceremony isn’t anything as grand as Berk’s. The couple exchange their journals in the morning, read them until the evening and express their joy, love, and gratitude for one another in front of a few chosen family and friends. Sometimes, if one partner travels more than the other, they’ll exchange a small keepsake or gift, but it’s not official. Then a record of their union is brought to the library and kept with the others.”

She closed her journal and sat quietly for a while after finishing her explanation. “Among my people, I’ve actually already passed the age when most have chosen their partner. Many women of my age have either born a child or are planning for one.”

“That’s insane!” Hiccup interjected. “You’re not that much older than us!”

“Is it, Hiccup? We’re not exactly 15 anymore.” Astrid shot back somewhat bitterly. She shifted in Stormfly’s saddle before addressing Tengan. “It’s not like you haven’t been busy. How many of your tribe are Riders?”

Tengan chuckled, grateful for the shift in the conversation.”As far as I know, just me. However, my father was last seen in the deep south. His goal was to find and train a dragon of his own. I may not be the only one for long.” Her voice trailed off as their conversation sunk back in. It was a pleasant distraction when Snotlout lost his grip on the axe and the group had to dive towards the sea to recover it.

Tengan’s troubled thoughts persisted through the day. Even the discovery of a rare, scaleless Armorwing and utilizing a nearby nest of Smothering Smokebreaths were only temporary distractions. Every time the pressing danger eased, she found herself wondering. Mostly about her future, and whether or not she ever saw a life partner as a part of it. Eventually, she mused, the war with the Dragon Hunters would end and her friends would go on to live their lives. While she knew she’d always be welcome on Berk, would she ever really have a place? It was possible she could take over for Gothi but there were a few others who had studied under the healer. Most likely she and Rumble would someday have to leave Berk for... a greener island so to speak. 

That wasn’t even taking into consideration finding a life partner. She had always enjoyed entertaining the far off hope that she’d find someone to share in her adventures with. Not to mention having a child or two in time. The problem was no one ever seemed to catch her interest for long, whether back home on the Shimmering Shores or on Berk. Were she and Rumble destined to travel until the end of their days, without the warmth that comes from knowing your partner and child are waiting to hear her tales?

The answers to such heavy questions never came easy, even to someone adept at documenting the world around her. In the following days, Tengan attempted to throw herself into extra patrol shifts and tagged along on any and all excursions. Anything to avoid having prolonged moments of quiet when those pesky existential thoughts would creep in. Astrid became a near constant companion during those moments. She felt she could spill all of her insecurities to the younger woman without fear of judgement. After their years of adventuring,she felt she could trust Astrid with anything. Until the day she couldn’t.

“Hiccup!” Astrid’s voice, tinted with evident frustration, rang out over the base as she touched down. “Those two dummies abandoned their posts and left two, well, DUMMIES in their place!” She held out the twins' helmets in evidence.

Hiccup stood from his crouched position where he and Tengan had spent the last hour or so discussing where the Dragon Hunters would likely be headed next. Smiling wearily, he stretched before answering. “You know those dummies could conceivably be just as effective as the twins.” 

Tengan snorted into the back of her hand, failing to disguise the action as a cough. Abandoning the map as well, she stood, taking a moment to rub out a cramp in one of her legs. 

“It’s not funny!” Astrid snapped back. “I just don’t understand how this isn’t making you both go completely insane!”

Hiccup smiled patiently. “Because then there would be three insane vikings in this conversation and nothing would get done. How about-” He was interrupted as Barf and Belch landed nearby, followed closely by a Terror with a scroll fastened to it’s hind leg. Unraveling the paper, Hiccup read quickly. “Oh no.” His face fell. “Johann is in trouble. He’s being attacked by dragon riders.”

The collection of teens stiffened at the news. Astrid even paused in the middle of her lecture at the twin’s explanation of their new “Scare-Ship dummies” idea.

“Astrid, go get Snotlout and Fishlegs. Tell them to bring the armor. Ruff and Tuff you better help her carry it back. Tengan, can you get me that map of the islands near Breakneck Bog?”

Tengan let out a long, low whistle. “That’s a bit of a flight. No problem, I’ll be right back.” She swung into Rumble’s saddle and urged him into a take off, noticing the hitch in his right wing on every downstroke. “Poor baby. Looks like that scrape you got yesterday evening is giving you some trouble.” She watched the movement of his joints for several wingbeats. “Let’s grab you some ointment and willow bark back at the hut as well.” Despite their haste, dampened only slightly by Rumble's injury, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and Hiccup were already mostly done securing the Screaming Death armor to their dragons by the time she touched down with the supplies. After handing off the map, she settled next to Rumble and began applying a poultice Gothi once taught her to reduce swelling and avoid infection.

“Please don’t leave me with these mutton heads.” Astrid begged Hiccup in a carrying whisper.

“She knows we’re standing right here, right?” Tuffnut mumbled over his shoulder to his sister and Tengan.

“Look.” Hiccup began in a serious tone. “Johann is surrounded by Dragon Hunters and his ship is taking on water. Snotlout and I are the only two with working dragon armor and Meatlug is immune to their arrows. We have to help him. You need to stay here and help the others protect the Dragon Eye.”

Tengan, slightly stung at Astrid’s comment, redoubled her focus on dressing Rumble’s scrape. In an attempt to distance herself from the squabble, she led her dragon into the stable and settled him into a dark, quiet stall in the far corner. Fishing a few freser eels from a nearby salt water bucket, she stuffed the treats with willow bark and made sure the Skrill ate all of them before closing and locking the cage door behind her. “I know. I hate leaving you here too, boy.” She reached through the bars to stroke her dragon’s head. “But you and I both know how stubborn you are. You’d keep flying on that injured wing until it fell off. Take a day to relax. I’ll come back to check on you this evening, ok?” She scratched under his chin once more before heading back outside. From the raised voices, she guessed the boys had left for Johann and Astrid and Ruffnut were already knee deep in their semi-regular argument.

“You two have no clue!” Astrid yelled. “You know why? Because the two of you don’t think!”

“You know you could try being kind for once!” Ruffnut spat back, uncharacteristically hostile. “Oh wait! You can’t because kindness isn’t anywhere in that scrawny body of yours!’

Astrid gaped before glancing over her shoulder at the approaching Tengan. “Back me up here, will you? “

“Why?” Tengan asked flatly, crossing her arms across her chest. “I’m just a ‘mutton head’ after all.”

“You know I didn’t mean you.” Astrid sighed in exasperation.

“Oh really?” Ruffnut spat back. “That’s a laugh! Just the other day you were saying that if Tengan had spent half the time she wastes reading on practicing combat, she wouldn’t be disarmed by Dagur so often!”

Tengan flinched, her chest tightening. “Did you actually say that?” She asked quietly, approaching the circle of vikings with all the caution of a wounded boar.

Astrid stammered for a few seconds, her eyes flicking between the other girls. “That’s- I mean- It was taken totally out of context!”

“You know what your problem is?” Ruffnut swelled with anger after catching the hurt expression on Tengan’s face. 

“Easy sis.” Tuffnut wanted quietly, reaching out to his twin.

Ruffnut charged on, ignoring her brother’s plea. “Allow me to lay it out. You have no respect for the people around you. You have no respect for Fishlegs and Tengan, certainly none for Snotlout, and you couldn’t have less respect for me and Tuffnut! And I’ll be damned if I let you sit here and insult the entire Nutt family tree!” Without waiting for a response, she turned heel and stomped away from the others, her footsteps echoing on the wooden planks as she descended the nearest staircase.

Astrid watched her go before turning to the others. Rubbing her upper arms defensively, she glanced between the ground and their faces several times. “She’s wrong you know…..” The assertion hung feebly in the air.

Tengan frowned and sighed deeply before catching Tuffnut’s concerned gaze. “Do you want me to go after her?”

“Girly emotions have never really been my thing.” Tuffnut admitted in a quiet voice, his eyes locked on the deck beneath him.

Tengan placed her hand on his shoulder. “I’ll make sure she doesn't hurt herself.” She took several steps towards where Ruffnut disappeared before pausing, keeping her back to the others. “You know Astrid, I really enjoyed staying with you and your family a while back. It was the closest I ever felt to being back home. I always thought you saw me as an equal, the same way I saw you. But then you lied to us about Heather being on our side. It wasn’t just Hiccup you hurt by keeping that secret…… and now…. I mean I always knew I wasn’t as combat oriented as you. But, I always thought.” She sighed, her shoulders sagging. “I guess it doesn’t matter.”

Tengan trudged on, feet slamming into the stairs harder than she expected. She always knew Astrid outclassed her when it came to close combat. Heck, she was content with the knowledge she could regularly disarm four of the other six Riders while sparring. Her thoughts darkened as she followed Ruffnut’s loose trail into the deep woods behind their base. Back home, she’d really only ever dedicate her life to more complicated bouts of swordsmanship if she planned on taking the title of Custodian, like her mother. She never thought any of her friends had felt her skills were lacking before. A frustrated curse, followed by the dull thud of an axe swinging into tree bark, broke through her meandering thoughts and caught her attention.

“Who does she think she is!” The blond snarled as she struggled to dislodge her weapon from the offending tree trunk.

“Hey, it’s just me so don’t swing alright?” Tengan held her hands up and managed a small smile as she stepped into view.

Ruffnut abandoned her axe for the moment and slipped into a weary crouch at the base of the tree. “I’m not going to apologize.”

“I wasn’t coming here to ask you to.” Tengan slid into a sitting position beside her friend, drawing her knees to her chest. “I was actually coming to thank you. I didn’t know Astrid had said that about me.”

“Yeah…” Ruffnut avoided the other girl’s eyes, choosing instead to speak to a small rock between her feet. “Everyone always insults us. Most of the time I don’t care because why bother? But Astrid…”

“Is intense with everything she does.” Tengan finished mildly. “I lived with her family for almost a year, remember? They’re almost as bad as Snotlout’s when it comes to upholding the family name.” She chuckled dryly. “Maybe don’t tell her I said that.”

“Why?” Ruffnut asked darkly. “She’s insulted us plenty of times.”

“Because.” Tengan added with a sigh. “Because, she’s still my friend. And I know she can do better. To be fair, I’m still your friend even after you and your brother convinced Snotlout I had drowned when I was actually just sunbathing on Loki Day two years ago.”

“Oh yeah.” Ruffnut chuckled. “I remember that. He tried to give you the ‘kiss of life’! I’ve never seen you throw such a right hook!”

Tengan shared in her friend’s laughter. “Why thank you. Point is, I was REALLY angry at you two for a while. But I forgave you eventually. And I’ll forgive Astrid eventually too. I’m not saying you have to as well-”

Their conversation cut short as several gruff, male voices carried through the trees from the nearby shoreline.

“The base should be-” The first voice called out in an authoritative tone.

“-unguarded! I know. So why are we scouting again?” Came the frustrated reply.

Tengan slipped behind the tree trunk with Ruffnut following close behind. There they stood, silent and motionless, while the two men crashed through the underbrush and into view.

“Hunters.” Ruffnut hissed. “We need to get back and warn the others.”

“Yes.” Tengan whispered. “But carefully. If they see us we’re done for. Your axe is stuck in that tree and I stupidly left my sword back in my hut….. Maybe Astrid is right. That was stupid move.”

Ruffnut elbowed her friend harshly. “We can worry about that later. For now how are we getting back without being seen?”

Tengan glanced at the dense forest before them. “We split up. There’s no way we’ll be able to stay silent. If one of us gets caught, then the other will still have a fair chance of making it back.” Getting a nod of approval from her friend, Tengan squeezed her shoulder in a silent bid of good luck before slipping away. She meandered through the underbrush, trying to limit her noises to the level of a wild rabbit or small bird as she slowly crept back towards camp. Every few steps she would glance at the advancing Dragon Hunters and redirect her path to avoid them while still keeping the pair within view.

On her fourth glance up, Tengan noticed Ruffnut had managed to wedge her foot in an upturned root, effectively forcing her to stop and pry herself out. Unfortunately, this root seemed to be in the direct path of the hunters. Thinking rapidly, Tengan took a deep, steadying breath before taking an overly large step and purposely tripping over a log, tumbling out into clear sight of her foes.

“Hey!” The larger of the two men pointed at her sprawled form. “Isn’t that one of the Riders?”

“It is!” The other man cocked his head to the side. “What is she doing here? I thought they all went to answer the distress call?”

“It don’t matter why! Just get her before she tips off the others!”

Tengan sprang to her feet and, with a last glance at Ruffnut over her shoulder, sprinted away in the forest, making as much noise as she possibly could in her flight. She crashed through bushes, snapped twigs underfoot, and loudly grunted in exterion as she shoved low hanging branches out of the way.

“OI! YOU! GET BACK HERE!” The larger guard hollered as he and his companion thundered after her, steadily gaining ground.

Tengan panted heavily, her progress severely hindered by the thick growth in the forest. Convinced she had drawn them far enough away from Ruffnut, she began to fight her way towards a nearby clearing, determined to put some actual distance between herself and her pursuers. 

Her left foot had just cleared the underbrush when a large sack slipped over her head and torso. Blinded, she tripped and stumbled to the floor once more, inadvertently pulling the rope wrapped around the opening of the bag tightly across her stomach.

“I’ve got her!” The breathless voice of the smaller hunter rasped out. “Let’s get her back to the ship!”

Tengan struggled, wildly at first, then with little energy as the men shoved and guided her blindly through the trees. Unable to see, she tripped and fell to her knees several times. Each crash coaxed a bark of taunting laughter from the guards. Eventually, the hard packed earth of the forest gave way to the soft sands of one of the many beaches dotted along The Edge. In the near distance, she could hear waves slapping against the hull of a ship.

“Well.” Ryker’s cool voice reached Tengan through her blindfold. “I guess you don’t know the Dragon Rider’s as well as you thought, Dagur. They never left to help Trader Johann. The girl proves it.”

Tengan gasped lightly, digging her heels into the sand. ‘No, no, no, no, no!’ She thought frantically. ‘Anyone but him. Please don’t make me face him again. Not now.’

“Hey!” Heather’s cool voice cut into the conversation. “At least my brother had a plan to get the Dragon Eye. It’s not his fault they didn’t take the bait!”

“Keep. Moving!” One of Tengan’s guards grunted, shoving her forward and onto her knees once more. “The girl is feisty! I’ll give her that!”

“Which girl, exactly?” Dagur questioned as he approached, his footsteps muffled by the sand.

Tengan bit her bottom lip as she knelt frozen in place. She wiggled slightly as the hunters who captured her cut the ropes binding the sack and yanked it over her head, tearing out more than a few hairs in the process. She winced, eyes watering at the pain as her eyes refocused. In the time it took the hunters to drag her to the beach, night had just barely fallen on the island. She slowly allowed her gaze to track upwards from the pair of boots directly in front of her, softly lit in the moonlight. Her gaze pausing for a moment on the Skrill embossed on his belt buckle, she felt her eyes drawn almost magnetically up to meet the green ones she had been seeing far too often in her dreams as of late. “We need to stop meeting like this.” Her attempt at a stern, mocking tone felt flat and unconvincing even to her own ears.

Dagur smirked down at her before lifting her easily to her feet with one hand clamped on her upper arm. “Excellent! We take this one hostage and-”

“No.” Ryker cut in. “No new plan. We take the island as planned, Riders or no Riders. Lock this one” He gestured toward Tengan. “away so she won’t be any trouble. Gather the men. We move slowly and destroy everything in our path until we get our Dragon Eye. Then,” he chuckled darkly. “we destroy whatever is left.”

Tengan tried in vain to catch Heather’s eye as she was herded onto a small rowboat. The skin on her arm under Dagur’s fingers seemed to burn as flashes of their last meeting kept dancing before her eyes. Deciding against an escape attempt at the moment, she settled without complaint in the vessel, sandwiched behind Heather and next to Dagur, who still hadn't released his firm grip on her arm. As one of the guards clambered into the boat behind them and began to row, she found her gaze drawn to the dozen or so warships moored in the cove.

“I’m surprised none of you noticed us sailing right in.” Dagur teased into her ear, his grip shifting on her upper arm. 

“If they’re all still on the island it’s just a matter of time.” Heather interjected, deliberately keeping her eyes forward. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised if my friends came after you in the next few minutes.” Tengan spoke as evenly as her voice would allow. “One of those patrols you were mocking is due over the cove any moment. If you let me go and get out of here right now, I MIGHT not have the others sink your fleet.” She fought to keep her face impassive as she bluffed, her eyes catching Heather’s for the smallest moment.

Dagur chuckled, leaning in towards her slightly. “I’d like to see them try.”

Once alongside the foremost and largest ship, Tengan found herself firmly, but surprisingly not too roughly, herded onto the deck and down below by Dagur, who waved off a new pair of guards that came forward to take over for him. Still exhausted and sore from her trek down, she followed quietly, her stomach twisting into tighter knots as he led her to a very particular cell below deck.

“You should recognize this place quite well.” Dagur growled as he followed her into the cell, closing the door behind them. “It’s the same one you locked me in.” He checked the door was actually secure before releasing her arm.

Tengan backed away several steps, careful not to trap herself in the corners of the cell. She rubbed the spot on her arm he had clamped down on, noticing the skin felt oddly cold without the constant contact. “What do you want, Dagur? As you can see, Rumble’s not with me tonight.”

“I can see that.” He mused, choosing to lean lazily against the cell door, shifting his weight so his axe was visible in the dim moonlight. “Where is my Skrill anway?”

Tengan’s chest swelled and her face scrunched up in frustration. “For the last time he’s not yours!” She crossed her arm and exhaled sharply, thinking quickly. She knew if he found out the dragon was healing from an injury he’d waste no time in taking advantage of his weakened state. “If you must know he’s sleeping. Most people do when the Sun sets.”

Dagur smirked at her frustrated expression, an amused laugh falling from his lips. “You know, it took me a while, but I finally figured you out.”

Tengan cocked her head to the side, heart racing. His question had thrown her. She had anticipated a blow up, a sneer, a taunt. Never an observation. “W-What do you mean?”

Dagur pushed himself off the cell door and took a step forward. “You know. All those questions you asked me years ago. The way you begged me to tell you stories about the Berserkers.”

“You mean how I kept you entertained and distracted?” Tengan took a step back to maintain the distance between them, her voice warbling. “Not my fault you like talking about yourself.”

Dagur frowned momentarily before his smirk returned. He advanced another couple steps. “And then going out of your way to train a Skrill. Not just any Skrill, the one I had captured and controlled.”

“Rumble and I found each other.” Tengan shot back nervously, taking another couple steps back. She felt the back of her heel press against the rear wall of the cell. “You had nothing to do with it.”

Dagur advanced quickly, slamming his hand on the wall beside her head. “And then there’s that little stunt you pulled the last time I saw you.” He leaned in, voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “Of course I can’t blame you. There really never was any competition between me and your pathetic choices among the Riders. Honestly, I should have seen it before.”

Tengan’s breathing became shallow as she pressed her body tight against the wall. A warm coil had settled deep in her stomach as that familiar Monstrous Nightmare mixed with earthy spice smell filled her nostrils. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh?” He smirked. “I think you do.” Slowly, painfully slowly, he backed away. “Not to worry, you’ll have all night to think it over.” He slipped out of the cell door, making sure it was securely locked behind him. “Don’t worry baby, I’ll be sure to come get you at sunrise. Wouldn’t want you to miss the destruction of Dragon’s Edge.”

Snapped out of her momentary stupor by his comment, Tengan slammed herself against the cell door, reaching through the claw at Dagur’s throat. Her grasping hand came up several inches short. “You’ll never take the Edge! And if you DARE hurt any of my friends-”

Dagur laughed. “There’s that feisty spirit!” Grabbing her flailing fingers in a painfully tight grip, he tugged them upwards before planting a taunting kiss on her knuckles. “See you at sunrise.” He purred before leaving her alone in the hall of empty cages.

Tengan tugged her hand back to her chest and slumped to the floor, absolutely miserable. Curling into a ball, she absentmindedly massaged the place on her hand where his lips had made contact, unsure if she was more upset that she was at the mercy of Dagur AGAIN, or, that some small, lonely, desperate part of her actually liked it. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, desperate for the release of a dreamless sleep.

“Tengan? Are you awake?” A voice whispered urgently into the night seemingly seconds later.

Tengan sat up quickly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes in an attempt to adjust them to the gloom. “Wha-” She murmured sleepily. “Heather? What’s going on?”

“I just wanted to check on you.” The dark haired viking whispered urgently. “Did Astrid tell you-”

“That you’re with us? Yes. Although only after Hiccup nearly killed you and Windshear last week.” Tengan whispers back while sitting up. She grabbed onto the bars of her cell. “What's going on?”

“I was hoping you could tell me.” Heather continued in a low voice, sliding to the floor in a cross legged position. “Why didn’t you guys go help Johann?”

“Hiccup, Snotlout, and Fishlegs did.” Tengan responded in an equally hushed voice. “Toothless and Hookfang are the only two with working armor right now and Meatlug-”

“Is immune to the arrows. Got it.” Heather sighed, deep in thought. “So that just leaves you, the twins, and Astrid on the island, right?”

“Exactly.” Tengan’s grip tightened on the bars. “Enough Riders to put up a fight but not enough to stop a fleet of Dragon Hunters if push comes to shove. Ruffnut saw the advance party as well. Hopefully, she’s already reported back to the others so they can prepare.”

Heather nodded solemnly. “I see.” She slowly got her feet. “I should be able to help redirect the attacks tomorrow morning. Is there anything else I should know?”

Tengan scrambled to her feet as well, her eyes downcast. “Well….. There is one thing. I think I need your help.”

“No, really?” Heater asked in a mildly sarcastic tone as she flicked one of the bars.

“Not with that!” Tengan hissed back in a low whisper. “I… well…… I may have…..”

“Spit it out! I can’t be gone for long. The night patrol will notice.” Heather’s eyes darted upwards towards the deck above them.

Tengan took a long, steadying breath. “I may have kissed your brother the last time we ran into each other.” She rushed all the words together as if speaking her secret quickly would lessen the blow.

“WHAT!” Her cry echoed in the darkness. 

“Shhh!” Tengan gestured frantically. “It was only a distraction tactic! But I think it worked a little too well. Now he thinks I’ve been trying to get his attention the last few years! I don’t think he’ll let me out of his sight easily. Can you help me?” Her voice broke as she emphasized her desperation. 

“I’I’ll see what I can do.” Heather acquiesced with a heavy shake of her head. “Just do me a favor and refrain from kissing him again! Please?” Her face contorted in ill disguised disgust.

Tengan smiled wearily as the fateful encounter flashed across her mind once more. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

Heather nodded once. “Good. Now try to get some sleep. I won't be able to do anything until tomorrow morning.” She procured a cold leg of mutton from her bag. “Here. I’m sure my brother hasn’t fed you.”

Tengan took the meat gingerly. “He hasn’t, thank you. Although if I’m going to spend any more nights in this cell I’m going to petition Ryker for a cot or at least a blanket. It’s terribly uncomfortable.” After the two girls shared a dry laugh, Tengan waved goodbye to her ally behind enemy lines and quickly downed the scrap of meat, choosing to toss the bone out through her barred window lest it draw unwanted attention. Her hunger barely sated, she curled back into a small ball and forced herself into a fitful sleep.

Several hours later, the loud creaking of her cell door jolten Tengan into alertness. Jumping to her feet, she glanced wildly around the cell. “Who’s there? I’ll gut you if you come closer!” She blurted sleepily, throwing her arms up in defense.

“Now now, is that anyway to greet me?” Dagurs' taunting voice filled the cabin as he sauntered into the cell. “Ryker wants you above deck.” He hissed out the instruction. “Best not to keep him waiting.”

Tengan’s eyes focus on the fiery haired viking just in time to see him grab at her upper arm once more. Remembering Heather’s vague promise, she followed her captor with little resistance. “What does he want to know?” She asked quietly as they emerged on the main deck.

“Not sure. Something about last night’s attack.” Dagur dismissed the question with a lazy wave of the hand not currently clamped around her upper arm. “Although, once he’s done with you, we’ll be free to finish our conversation from last night….” He urged Tengan forward before the ship’s commander, surprisingly almost gentle in his movements.

“Explain to me how your riders sunk BOTH SHIPS I SENT TOWARDS THE HARBOR LAST NIGHT!” The usually composed captain roared at Tengan, his eyes wide with fury.

Tengan flinched backwards involuntarily, partially sidestepping behind Dagur. She fought to keep the relief from coloring her voice. “Don’t ask me. I’ve been cooped up below decks all night.” She shot back. “Perhaps you want to ask your men why they’ve been struggling to best a group of teenagers the last few months!” She flinched further behind the Berserker as Ryker’s face contorted with fury, his hand raising as if to strike.

“Enough!” Dagur snarled back, stepping in between the two, his lip curling in a feral snarl.

“My brother is right!” Heather stepped in frantically. “We’ve been over this. We don’t kill any of the Dragon Riders until Vigo tells us to!” She tugged Tengan away from the men. “I’ll take care of this one for now!”

“No!” Ryker hollered, completely frazzled. “Let your brother watch the prisoner. You take your dragon and attack from the sky!”

Tengan could only cast Heather a pleading ‘Don’t leave me with these two!’ look before Heather had clambered into Windshear’s saddle and took off to escort several boatloads of men onto the shore.

“You heard the man.” Dagur growled, evidently frustrated, as he latched onto Tengan once more and herded her to the ship’s main mast. With deft movements and a series of low grumbles he tied her to the beam, checking several times to make sure her bindings were secured. “Now you just be a good little Dragon Rider and stay put until I tell you otherwise.”

Tengan frowned at Dagur before casting her gaze beyond him and onto the still shouting Ryker. Weighing her options, she decided to speak in a low voice only Dagur could hear. “Why do you listen to him anyway? The Dagur I knew was a mighty chief who bent to no one.”

Dagur’s chest swelled in indignation as he finished securing her ties. “I still am!” He whispered harshly. “Never forget that. Heather and I are just using Ryker. Once we get the dragon eye, we’ll dispose of him.”

Tengan frowned, forcing herself to maintain steady eye contact with the man before her. “And what will you do with me? Seeing as you only keep me around to lure my dragon in.” She forced her lower lip out in a small pout, desperate to utilize any advantage his new obsession might give her.

The Berserker chief chuckled under his breath before leaning in. “Oh I think I have a use or two for you, little Tengan. Don’t you worry. Daddy Dagur is planning on keeping you around for a good long while.”

Tengan shuddered, unsure if the action was more from disgust or allure and too terrified to allow herself to dwell on it. She avoided his gaze, grateful the darker complexion of her skin hid the heat rising from her cheeks. She refused to meet his eyes and kept her own glued to the floor as he laughed and stomped away. 

She stood, wholly uncomfortable from her unyielding backrest and the way too tight ropes until Heather touched down on the ship’s deck several hours later. Exhausted from dehydration and sore muscles from being forced to stay still in one position, Tengan fought to hear the hunter’s conversation over the screaming protests of her body.

“They ambushed us at every turn.” Heather scowled, supporting her injured right arm with her left. “It’s almost as if they knew we were coming.”

“That’s impossible!” Ryker growled, pacing the deck of the ship before he caught sight of Tengan out of the corner of his eye. “Unless that one managed to tip them off!” He began to thunder up the deck towards the bound young woman.

Before Tengan could even register the threat, Dagur had planted himself between them. “That prisoner is MINE. You touch her, we’re going to have a problem.” He snarled defensively, one hand sliding to the hilt of his axe as it dangled on his belt.

Heather cleared her throat and pushed past the two men. “I’LL question her.” She spoke firmly. Approaching Tengan, she drew her double headed axe and slid it up to Tengan’s throat, making sure to slide the blade against her bindings. “They can’t hold the Edge much longer without help.” She whispered and she slid her weapon along the rope with small muscle twitches. “Take Windshear and find Hiccup.”

“Will do.” Tengan whispered back, careful to move her lips as little as possible as she spoke.

“One more thing.” Heather added with a cautious glance over her shoulder at the two men still squaring off.

“Anything. “ Tengan hissed between clenched teeth, her heartbeat quickening as the ropes frayed.

“Promise me you won’t use brother as a distraction anymore. He’s going to be a royal pain when this is all over.”

Tengan smirked slightly as the ropes gave way. “Deal. As long as you don’t hold this against me.” With a huge shove, she forced Heather to the floor where her head bounced painfully against the wooden deck. Before anyone could react, she sprinted across the ship and scrambled into Windshear’s saddle.

“NO!” Dagur cried out and dove for her ankle, his hand missing by a hair’s breadth as the Razorwhip took to the sky.

Tengan whooped as they climbed high into the air. She faltered in the saddle once or twice as the dragon twisted, unused to the long lithe body beneath her. Once high above the nearby cloud cover, she urged Windshear towards Breakneck Bog. “Come on girl! The sooner we get Hiccup and the others back here, the sooner I can get you back to Heather.” She grinned as the dragon roared in apparent agreement and flapped furiously towards the horizon as if she were determined to catch it before the Sun slipped below the sea.

“Hiccup!” Tengan called out as the last rays of sunlight slipped away and she pulled up to a surprisingly large group of dragons flocking behind the Riders. “Is that a group of wild dragons following you?”

“Are you riding Windshear?!” Was the one-legged viking’s response as he had Toothless circle the Razorwhip.

“Why don’t we agree to catch up on our way to handle the Hunters. They’re attacking the edge!” Tengan spun Windshear around to angle back towards their base.

“Oh my gosh is Heather ok!?” FIshlegs called out desperately.

“She is for now but the sooner we get home the better!” Tengan called out as she took the lead of their unnaturally large and unruly formation. 

In the coming days the Riders would joke about how it was a comically uneven fight. Their numbers bolstered by Windshear and the pack of wild dragons, the Hunters were forced to retreat back to their ships within an hour. Not one of the Riders was even mildly surprised when Rumble, released from his mandatory bed rest with help from the twins, charred the hull of three boats with his wrath.

Amidst all the chaos, Tengan urged Windshear to land in a secluded grove near the shore where she had spotted Heather waiting patiently. Sliding out of the saddle, she smiled at her friend. “Thanks for letting me borrow her. She really is an amazing dragon. I hope I didn’t bang your head up too badly.”

Heather scoffed playfully as she clambered onto her partner’s back. “Of course she is. She’s my dragon for a reason. And if you think that little bump could ever put me down you’ve got another thing coming.”

Tengan chuckled. “Any chance we can keep the whole me kissing Dagur quiet from the rest of the group?”

Heather returned her chuckle as Windshear spread her wings. “Yeah. Between me being a double agent and you making out with my brother I’m not sure how much more Hiccup can take.”

“THAT IS NOT WHAT HA-” Tengan hollered indignantly as her words were lost in Windshears gale as the dragon took to the sky. Crossing her arms, she stood glaring after her friend for only a moment before Rumble crashed to the earth beside her, his wings held out protectively. 

“I’m alright boy. Sorry for worrying you.” She murmured softly as she scrambled onto his back, her muscles relaxing in the familiar space. “How about I make it up to you tomorrow? Just you and me eel fishing all day. How does that sound?” She giggled silently as her dragon huffed, sparks flying from his nostrils before he took to the air and circled back towards the other Riders. She guessed it would be several days before he let her out of his sight again.

Barf and Belch were the first to approach, their riders grinning maliciously.

“You are never going to BELIEVE how we kept the Dragon Hunters at bay!” Ruffnut called out, barely holding herself together.

“I’m sure I won’t.” Tenga agreed. “Can’t wait to hear about it! By any chance, did it have anything to do with those Scare Ships you made the other day?”

“Sister, you have no idea.” Tuffnut cheered, thrusting his fist in the air. “It was a series of pranks worthy of the almighty Loki himself!”

“They’re not exaggerating.” Astrid piped in as she coaxed Stormfly into line beside Rumble. “We would have lost the Edge... and possibly you... if it weren’t for their tricks. I owe them, and you, an apology.” She hung her head, nails digging into the front of Stormfly’s saddle.

“Save it.” Tengan called out good naturedly. “Just join me in my hut the day after tomorrow with the twins to recount the story. This is definitely one I want to write down.”

Hiccup and Fishlegs, close enough to catch snippets of the conversation, traded confused glances with one another. “Did we miss something?” The Night Fury rider questioned the group at large.

“Who knows!” Snotlout hollered as he watched the final few Hunter ships escape the cove. “Girls are impossible to understand anyway!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm not totally happy with this chapter but I wanted to get it out before I went back to work this week. Next week is either going to tackle the events of Maces and Talons or do another SUPER jump forward because even I'm getting impatient with the slow burn between these two. Stay tuned!


	18. A Reforged Dagur

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided to move a few episodes around to fit the narrative I have in mind a bit better. For now we’re going to combine To Heather or Not to Heather and Family on the Edge. Personally, I always found it odd that Windshear suddenly had a difficult time working with the other Riders after all the time they had been together. Not to mention the several times they saved her shiny arse. So I’m skipping that bit entirely. For the following chapter, I’m jumping to Saving Shattermaster. There’s a lot of story in between but my main focus is going to be on Dagur and Tengan from here on out. I may still add one shots with episodes I skipped over but had ideas for. Again, if anyone has a specific episode they really want me to flesh out, I’d love to know about it! As always, thanks for reading, seeing those hits and Kudos jump up really makes my day.

“It’s odd.” Tengan mumbled to herself as she sat slumped over in Rumble’s saddle, eyes barely cracked open towards the empty horizon. “I’ve almost gotten used to all of this.” She gestured lazily to her surroundings. “This feels almost normal now. Isn’t that weird, boy?” She dragged her nails softly against her dragon’s deck scales as he hummed happily.

The rider forced herself to sit straighter, falling back into the pre-established pattern for scanning the western side of the Edge. Breaking the vast expanse of sea into four sections, she stared unblinkingly at each one for a count of thirty before moving to the next one. This she repeated endlessly for up to ten hours at a time. While patrols and watches were always a part of life on Dragon’s Edge, this paranoid level of alertness had become almost routine in the last few weeks.

It had all come to a head when Astrid asked Hiccup to pull Heather out from her role as a double agent for the Hunters. Hiccup, too eager in his search for the Hunter’s true leader, a man known only as Viggo Grimborn, had refused the request outright, claiming that Heather would never go for it. Especially not when she had finally been introduced to the man himself so recently.

Tengan closed her eyes for half a moment and sighed wearily before returning her attention to the sea. While dwelling on the past was rarely ever a healthy exercise, she often found herself wondering just how different, how normal, their lives might be if they had taken Astrid’s gut feeling more seriously.

For starters, they would most likely still have the Dragon Eye. Viggo, in a display of cunning and strategy Tengan had never seen before, had manipulated the entire team of Riders into his palm. Between utilizing Heather to feed them a false trail, releasing a very irate Flightmare onto the group, and coaxing the Riders to leave the Edge on a wild goose chase, he had, over forty-eight hours, destroyed what had taken them more than a year to build. While they had flown through literal Typhoomerang fire to protect Heather and Windshear from a grisly fate, Viggo had sent an army of men to their base to recover the Dragon Eye.

In their search, the pillagers spared none of their possessions. Beds were smashed to pieces, weapons cast over cliffs, doors thrown off their hinges. Tengan’s hut had been hit the hardest. While not exactly the treasure they were looking for, the Hunters had known the value of written information. All her scrolls, journals, maps, and notes were gone. Priceless information about all of the dragons they had encountered, maps detailing their habitats and locations, personal accounts and recollections, had all been turned over to a man who wanted to wipe out every dragon and rider in his path. Not satisfied with stealing her life’s worth, the Hunters had taken most of her medical supplies as well. The few jars left behind had been smashed open on the wooden floor. She wasn’t sure how long she had knelt there, numb to the world around her. She certainly didn’t remember tearing at her hair or clawing at her face, but the shallow scratches left after Fishlegs had forced her to her feet had been proof enough.

Rumble’s weight shifted underneath her as he settled into a more comfortable position, the movement drawing his rider’s attention back to the present. Tengan rolled her shoulders and stared out into the empty expanse before her once more, the last tiny bit of hopeful optimism praying that in any moment, a silvery patch of cloud would detach itself and Windshear would be winging her way to the island with Heather. Their troubled friend had disappeared once again as soon as the fighting died down. Tengan couldn’t blame her, she was sure the poor Berserker girl thought herself responsible for the failed rescue mission. As easy as it would be to funnel all her anguish at losing years of work onto Heather’s shoulders, Tengan found herself worrying for the lost Rider almost daily. Viggo did not strike her as the person who would be content knowing someone who betrayed him was out flying freely over the archipelago. Especially one with innate knowledge of his group's inner workings.

“I hope she comes back to us soon.” Tengan sighed. “She’s not safe out there right now. Even with Windshear. Viggo wants her dead and who knows how Dagur feels about her betrayal.” She snorted lightly as memories of her fretting over a stolen kiss floated into her mind. It was amazing such trivial things caused her strife two months ago. Now every day was a question of “will we be attacked” rather than searching the far reaches for new dragons.

The first month after the attack and their first real loss against the Hunters flowed by in a gray haze. Days were spent in near silence as they cleaned up, salvaging what they could and keeping a record of items found missing or too damaged to repair. Thankfully, amongst all the carnage, only a few of the Night Terrors had been slain. Their bodies were buried at the base of the cliffs and a memorial was carved out of the stone face before their small graves. 

“Here lie five brave dragons who lost their lives defending those they love from the evils of this world. May their spirits join the mighty warriors in Valhalla.” 

Fishlegs had taken their loss the hardest. He and Meatlug stood vigil at the gravesite for an entire day before Tengan could convince him to leave with her.

Since many of her journals had contained information about her homeland, she had flown home to warn her mother of a possible raid in the near future. While she would have preferred Astrid or Hiccup to accompany her on this venture, as their dragons were the only two who match Rumble’s speed, Fishlegs had needed the time away from the island the most and seemed to liven up ever so slightly by the time they had touched down on the warm sands on her birthplace.

“That was the first time I had ever seen Mother openly weep.” Tengan spoke quietly to Rumble as she slid from the saddle to stretch her legs. “I know she was surprised I did not cry with her. I suppose I had no tears left.” She laid a palm on her dragon’s warm side, taking a moment to steady her breath. “She didn’t want us to come back and keep fighting. I could see it in her eyes.” She slipped into a seated position on the ground and leaned her head against Rumble’s barrel chest. “But she knew we’d have to. Both of us. We owe our friends so much. It would be cowardly to leave them to fight while we hid with my people. Still….” She sighed again. “I don’t like how normal this has become, Rumble. Waking up to every small noise. Counting each Night Terror weekly to make sure none were slaughtered. I never had to lock away my books and scrolls before. Knowledge is meant to be shared, not hidden in the dark from those who wish to do harm to this world.”

Tengan knew she wasn’t the only one who had developed new coping mechanisms. Fishlegs had become somewhat of a Weapons Master. Their meager armory vastly depleted following the raid, he and Meatlug had been working at a frantic pace to resupply the Riders with Gronkle Iron weaponry and armor. Astrid, somehow, managed to throw herself even further into her nonstop training. The only time Tengan spoke with her in the last month was when she gave herself a gash too deep to tie off with a quick bandage. Snotlout had taken the assault on their island personally and had taken on so many patrol shifts that Hookfang had fallen asleep while flying at least twice. Even the twins were more subdued and pensive. All of their boars had been slaughtered and taken for meat by the Hunters. They still hadn’t rounded up any replacements. The empty, blood stained pen under their hut was a haunting sight.

Hiccup was rarely seen anymore. Whenever he was conscious, he was either flying off on solo patrols (much to Astrid’s frustration) or shut in his hut working on his flight suit. On the rare occasion he led members of the Riders on rescue missions, his focus seemed to be solely on returning the wounded dragons to the safety of the Edge. Through his efforts, the island had become somewhat of a sanctuary for wounded or abused dragons. Most of them were Gronkles exploited for their lava spewing abilities, or Deadly Nadders that had their spines pulled to make weaponry. However, their growing flock, thanks to Hiccup, had also started seeing a few rarer specimens as well. Several Typhoomerangs had taken up residence in the northern forest, a pair of Catastrophic Quakens were healing in the cave system in preparation of being relocated to Dark Deep, and a Triple Stryke, rescued from an underground fighting ring, would often join the Rider’s dragons at mealtimes, even if he was reluctant to let any of the humans approach.

“They all look older now.” Tengan murmured as she climbed into Rumble’s saddle and urged him to circle above their watch tower. “Not so much in their faces. But in their eyes. I suppose I look the same too.” As they circled, Tengan heard the fluttering wing beats of a Gronkle approach as Fishlegs pulled up in front of her. “Is something wrong?” She asked stiffly. “We’re not due to change guards for another hour.”

“Nothing’s wrong. Something’s very right!” Fishlegs gasped as he spoke, his face split in a breathless grin. “Heather’s coming back! I just got her Terror Mail! She should be here any minute! Come on! Hiccup wants us all to greet her!”

Tengan’s eyes sparkled before she paused, biting her lip. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

Fishlegs had already swung Meatlug around to face inland. “It’ll be fine! No one had seen a Hunter in our waters in over a month. Besides, all the new dragons are fiercely territorial! No one will be able to sneak up on us.”

Tengan sighed heavily before urging Rumble to follow. The boy did have a good point. Willingly losing herself to the rare scrap of excitement bubbling in her chest, she found herself giggling at quite literally nothing as they touched down in front of the arena. A quick glance at the others showed they were all similarly affected. All of the teens wore smiles, and Fishlegs was practically dancing.

“Oh look that’s her!” The Gronkle trainer squealed as he pointed towards the sky, drawing the others’ attention as well.

Tengan squinted towards the sunlight, forcing her eyes to focus on a rapidly growing blot. Her grin widened as Windshear’s long, serpentine body took shape, her metallic scales glittering in the morning light.

By the time the Razorwhip was in hailing distance, the Rider’s dragons were alternating between crowing their greetings and letting loose short bursts of flame in their exuberance. The moment her feet touched ground, Windshear was surrounded by her long lost friends and settled into an apparently much appreciated nuzzling and grooming session as Heather slid from the saddle to join the group once more.

“I can’t believe you actually came!” Fishlegs shoved past Hiccup and pulled her into a tight embrace, momentarily lifting her off the ground.

“It’s good to see you too Fishlegs.” Heather replied wearily, a relaxed smile on her face.

“Took you long enough.” Astrid teased, shoulder checking the brunette as Fishlegs released her.

“I’m surprised she hasn’t come running back to the Snotman sooner.” Snotlout wiggled his eyebrows and flexed his admittedly impressive biceps. Rebuilding the Edge had granted them all a bit more muscle tone.

“What they mean is,” Hiccup smiled, accentuating the dark circles under his eyes. “We’ve all missed you.”

“So.” Ruffnut crossed her arms, a teasing smirk on her lips. “How long are you planning on staying this time?”

“Please tell me it’s more than a week.” Tuffnut whined as he gazed over at the cluster of wrestling dragons. “I couldn’t bear it if you left with my beloved Razorwhip so soon!” He threw himself to his knees in preemptive anguish.

“Glad to see you haven’t changed.” Heather laughed, the sound hollow in her throat. “Well, if you guys don’t mind, we were hoping we could stay a bit longer this time. Like, forever.”

Hiccup nodded immediately. “You know you always have a home with us here.”

Heather’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Thank you, Hiccup. I wasn’t sure you guys would want me to come back. Not after the mess I caused with Viggo.”

Tengan stepped forward and placed her hands on her friend’s shoulders. “Heather, look at me.” She spoke with a gentle yet firm voice. “You never caused that. You risked your life to pass information to us several times. What happened wasn’t your fault. If anything, I’m sorry that we never made that clear to you.” She tried to keep her gaze stern but found her eyes softening at Heather’s deflated posture. Sighing, she pulled her in for a quick hug. “I’m glad you’re safe. You’ve been missed.” She stepped back as the others swarmed forward to greet the newest member of their ranks.

Hiccup broke through the conversation several minutes later. “Heather you must be exhausted. Why don’t we get Windshear settled and I can take you-“

“I can show her!” Fishlegs spoke up a bit too loudly. He blushed as all eyes fell on him. “I mean, if Heather is going to be staying, the only good spot to build a new hut is near mine. It makes sense. Doesn’t it?”

Astrid was quick to stamp down on Snotlout’s foot as he opened his mouth. “Of course it does.” She smiled as her eyes met Heather’s and Tengan’s. “I’m sure you two have a LOT to catch up on.”

Tengan smiled and nodded as that far off sunny afternoon of girl talk came back to her. “Sounds like a plan. We’ll meet you for lunch. I want to take a bit of time to patrol the perimeter since our watch ended a little early.” With a bit of coaxing, she convinced Rumble to disengage from the pile of playing dragons before taking to the air again, her chest feeling considerably lighter than it had in the past few days. “You happy to have Windshear back, boy?” She cooed to the Skrill, giggling as he responded with a loud roar. “I’ll make sure you two have plenty of time to catch up later. Let’s finish this quick patrol first, alright?”

The rest of the morning flowed by with relative ease. Only once did they have to redirect their path when a group of Nadders took off from the far shore to head towards the lake. Tengan soon found herself enjoying a leisurely lunch with the other riders in the arena to allow their dragons time to play and relax. Well, almost all of the other riders. Hiccup and Toothless were absent. A disappointment, but not much of a surprise. Astrid guessed he had made a breakthrough on the Dragonfly Flight Suit and would probably not be resurfacing for at least another two meals.

Following lunch, the twins took off to take over patrols while the others began practicing maneuvers they thought they might need in an upcoming mission. Hiccup had noticed a relatively unguarded small fleet of ships from Viggo’s armada moored in an unguarded patch of a fogbank less than half a day’s flight away. While they had been uneasily content with letting them be for now, with the addition of Heather and Windshear, it seemed the Riders were finally going to have the upper hand. Attacking the vessels would severely dampen Viggo’s hold on the islands near the Edge. If they could succeed in at least driving them away from the shipyard, sleep would once again come easy for the group.

Surprisingly, Hiccup joined them again at dinner, if only physically. He seemed to jump every time someone addressed him and was clearly not paying Astrid the slightest bit of attention as she elaborated on her ideas for going after the mostly unguarded fleet.

“So…” Hiccup spoke up after a lull in the conversation, his hands continuously fidgeting with his empty mug. “Do any of you ever wonder what happened to Dagur?”

“Uh, no.” Snotlout asserted firmly for the group as he stabbed the roast chicken on his plate with an unusual amount of force.

“What brings him up anyway?” Fishlegs asked, his head cocked to the side as he eyed Hiccup with growing suspicion.

“Nothing!” Hiccup leapt out of his chair, arms up defensively. “But since we’re on the subject now. Do any of you ever wonder why he helped Heather escape from Viggo?”

“Probably as a distraction so he could get away himself.” Astrid spoke up with a measured tone as she cast a glance at the still silent Heather beside her.

“Let’s change the subject.” Tengan suggested, carefully avoiding meeting Heather or Hiccup’s gaze.

“Ok, Ok. Just one last question.” Hiccup rolled his shoulders and rubbed the back of his neck, a tick the others had only seen when he was trying to convince Stoick to try something new. “What if that was the first step to him changing and creating a new life for himself?”

“A new life?! Dagur?!” Heather slammed her fists down firmly on the table, the force of her blow knocking over two nearby mugs. Bolting to her feet, she glared angrily across at Hiccup. “A dragon doesn’t change its markings!”

Hiccup flinched but continued, hands still raised in a surrendering position. “You might be right. But who knows? No one could have guessed that my father, Stoick the Vast, would ever learn to fly a dragon? You never know, the next time we see Dagur-”

“I’ll split the father killer in two!” Heather roared, swinging her axe onto the table where it cleaved right through her leg of mutton, cracked her earthenware plate, and sunk a few inches into the wooden table top.

Tengan, having taken her place next to Heather at dinner, had jumped back, narrowly avoiding a clay container of sauce spilling onto her lap. She glared across the room at Hiccup, vowing to knock some sense into the boy the next time she caught him alone. A quick glance towards Astrid told her she wasn’t the only one with that idea.

Heather stared at the damage before her before shrinking in on herself. “Sorry. I’ll head out. I have patrol tonight anyways. Might as well get a head start.”

“Actually, I’ll take over for you!” Hiccup exclaimed in a falsely cheery voice. “I actually wanted to send you and Snotlout to do a recon flight over the shipyard we’ve been telling you about. It would be good for you and Windshear to familiarize yourself with it’s layout.” He shifted on his feet for several seconds as no one else spoke. “In fact, I think you two should go tonight!”

“Tonight?!” Snotlout groaned. “I’m still sore from this morning! And it’ll take a whole day just to get there and back!”

“Yes, tonight.” Hiccup retorted sternly. “She needs to know what we’re going up against.”

Heather yanked her weapon from the table before patting Snotlout’s shoulder lightly. “Come on. It won’t be that bad. The sooner we get going, the sooner we’ll be back.”

Tengan quietly watched Hiccup slink out of the hall followed by Heather and Snotlout. She glanced around at the remaining teens, their confused expressions mirroring her own. “What was that all about?”

The next morning Tengan met up with Astrid, Fishlegs, and the twins in their target throwing practice field nestled in the wooded area behind the huts. Hiccup had decided to take on Astrid’s early morning patrol on top of Heather’s night shift. He had barely spat out a lame assertion that he wanted to give the others time to practice for the upcoming mission before disappearing.

“Is everything ok with Hiccup?” Tengan asked the group at large as she yanked a practice axe from a fallen log. “He seems-“

“Possessed? Insane?” Tuffnut rattled off as he leaned against his mace, Chicken tucked under his free arm.

“Totally obsessed with Dagur?” Ruffnutt added as she launched a sword into a nearby tree. “I mean what’s that all about.”

Astrid opened her mouth to respond but was cut off as a nearby bush cracked and rustled intently. A second later, a familiar, if not welcome, Berserker tumbled out of the bush, looking slightly dazed. “I suppose we can ask him ourselves.” Astrid growled as she raised her axe to his throat.

Fishlegs, spotting a twisted piece of metal on the ground near where Dagur emerged, quickly crouched to retrieve it. Recognizing the spare leg, his face darkened. “What have you done with Hiccup!” 

Astrid, glancing at the prosthetic, snarled before quickly slamming Dagur into the dirt and binding his arms behind his back. “You better start talking!”

“Ouch!” Dagur’s muffled cry came out weakly under Astrid’s knee. Twisting his neck to get a better look at the group around him, he tried to speak without inhaling dirt. “He’s here! He just was on his way back to the base to get a spare leg!”

Astrid shifted her weight off of the prisoner and allowed him to sit up and face the rest of them. “Why should we believe that?”

Tengan approached, practice axe still in hand, as she glared down at him. “We simply must stop meeting like this, eh Dagur?” She smirked, taking immense enjoyment out of their reversal of circumstances.

Dagur flinched at her statement before shrugging his shoulders. “Alright. I deserved that one. But you have to believe me!”

“A likely story!” Ruffnut shoved Tengan aside to approach, hands on her hips.

“Either you start singing like a canary, or we will!” Tuffnut added before preparing a lungful of air. 

“That actually won’t be necessary.” Hiccup spoke up as he walked through the trees.

“What is going on!?” Astrid asked in exasperation, her head whipping between Dagur and Hiccup.

“Well it’s a long story. I’ll fill you all in on the walk back to base.” Hiccup knelt behind Dagur and deftly cut his binds. As the group slowly made their way back he quickly explained how on one of his solo missions, Toothless had been struck down by a Dragon Root arrow and Dagur had helped them escape when he could have turned on them several times.

While Hiccup spoke, Dagur kept completely silent as he walked along at the edge of the group. For the most part he kept his eyes focused on either the dirt under his boots or the path directly in front of them. A couple times he glanced upwards at the others, but quickly redirected his gaze after locking eyes with Tengan.

“Why did you never tell us any of this?” Astrid spoke up as he concluded, her tone soft and hurt.

“Yeah, why not, brother?” Dagur asked with a genuinely curious expression.

Hiccup sighed, avoiding looking directly at any of them as he spoke. “Because I wasn’t sure how any of you would take it.” He chewed his lip for a moment before adding. “I’m still not sure how I feel about it.”

“To be fair I have done a few questionable things.” Dagur added impassively.

“So that brings us to today.” Hiccup started before Astrid could interject. “Dagur now needs my help. He wants to learn how to ride dragons.”

“Why does he want to learn that?” Tuffnut blurted out.

Dagur sighed deeply. “I’m looking for Heather and I can cover more ground with a dragon.”

The atmosphere chilled in the room as each of the riders glanced nervously at each other.

Hiccup took advantage of their momentary confusion to speak up. “Yes and the sooner I teach him to ride, the sooner he can go off to find Heather, WHEREVER SHE MIGHT BE.” Seeing the twins’ devious smirks, he plowed on. “And uh, actually, Dagur, Fishlegs here is the best Gronkle trainer in the world! He can help improve your flying! Why don’t you two head off right now?”

Fishlegs, catching Hiccup’s meaning, nodded. “Uh sure! I’d be happy to!”

Dagur, elated, grabbed greedily at Fishlegs’ shoulders. “Oh, thank you! TEACH ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW!!” His grin was large and childlike.

Tengan watched the two leave the hall before glaring over her shoulder at Hiccup. “No wonder you were pushing the subject last night.” She exhaled slowly. “Hiccup, I thought we agreed we weren’t going to keep secrets anymore. The last time it almost got Heather killed.”

Hiccup sighed, shoulders sagging. “I know. It was wrong of me. But he really has changed. He could have killed me and Toothless several times but he risked his neck to save us. Toothless has even let Dagur ride him, on a couple different occasions. I owe him.”

Tengan sighed and nodded. “I understand. Then we need to get him trained up and gone before Heather gets back. She’s not ready to face-“ She gestured vaguely in front of her, towards the door where Fishlegs and Dagur disappeared moments before. “ -this. She just got here. It will take her time to heal.”

Hiccup stood quietly for a moment. “I know, Tengan.”

She nodded again. “I’ll catch up with you all later. Since you’re here no one’s actually on guard at the moment. Besides, I want to make sure no one one else came alone when Dagur landed on our shore. Either with him or just by trailing him.” Without waiting for a reply she slipped out of the hall and made her way towards her hut.

It took relatively little time to rouse Rumble from his nap and only a couple eels to convince him to fly the perimeter. As his wings beat steadily on the calm air, Tengan scanned the land and sea below them. “There’s the ship he came in on.” She commented more for her own benefit than her dragon’s. “No wonder we missed it. That was where the Nadder pack came at us yesterday. He must have spooked them.”

They circled the island twice before angling back towards the base. “It seems he really did come here alone.” She drummed her fingers on the saddle. “What do you think, boy? Think he actually has changed?” She laughed as Rumble growled affectionately. “Why don’t we take a minute to check in on him and Fishlegs. I need to see this for myself.”

She urged Rumble to follow the steadily growing sound of deep laughter echoing over the beach. Turning a corner, she pulled Rumble to a halt as she watched Fishlegs and Dagur repeatedly have their dragons roll in midair, stop once their bellies pointed skyward, and drop for several dozen feet before righting themselves.

Rumble, catching sight of the Berserker, growled low in his throat for a moment before the sound died out and became a questioning keen as the Gronkle under Dagur wriggled with joy after each drop.

“I see you two have been getting along well.” Tengan called out after the third drop, making a point to stay higher in the air than either Gronkle as they climbed to join her.

“I’ve never had such a naturally gifted student!” Fishlegs praised without restraint. “He even invented a new move. The inverted Gronkle drop.”

“Is that what you call it?” She stared down impassively at the fiery-haired Viking as he scratched his dragon’s neck enthusiastically. “Hope you learned a lot, Dagur. You’re with me for the rest of the day.” She smirked as Rumble buffeted the smaller dragon with a gust from his wings as he took off. She set a quick, but not brutally fast pace. One the Gronkle would have to work hard at to keep up, but nothing that would strain the poor thing.

“Where are we going?” Dagur called out in a pleasant tone. He held position slightly behind and below Rumble’s right wing.

Tengan stared at the other viking for a moment before responding. “There’s a set of grassy hills not too far off. Far enough that we have to fly and difficult to reach on foot, but close enough to get back quickly if we have to.” Angling back inland, she coaxed Rumble into gliding down in several long, spiraling circles. She was mildly impressed that Dagur and managed to match their movements relatively well. Only once did Shattermaster come close enough for Rumble to bump him in a down stroke. Landing, she had Rumble take several steps away and turn to face the other pair before she dismounted. She placed her hand on his side and waited for Dagur to dismount as well before speaking. “Hiccup only told us the bare bones of what happened when he ran into you before. I want to hear the full story from you.”

Dagur cocked his head to the side. “You actually want to listen to what I have to say? You didn’t bring me out here to, you know, ambush me or something?”

Tengan felt a taunting smile tugging at her lips. “If I had wanted to kill you I would have had Rumble throw you off the cliffs on our flight over.” Her smile widened as Rumble growled to accentuate her threat. However, the pair were slightly shocked when Shattermaster returned the growl and stepped in front of Dagur. “Wow. He’s willing to defend you already.”

Dagur eased his Gronkle with gentle pets and stepped forward to stand beside him before responding. “I learned a lot from Hiccup the day he and Toothless crashed onto the island I was marooned on.”

Tengan listened patiently as Dagur recounted not just that day, but his entire journey after being abandoned by Viggo. She was, admittedly, impressed at his apparent growth. He had learned how to coexist with the wild dragons in the area and had even developed a cure for the Dragon Root arrows. She noticed that while he spoke, he often fidgeted. Several times he wrung his hands or tickled under Shattermaster’s chin. This shy, unsure man seemed as different from the person who stood smirking over her while she shined his shoes as a dragon is to a yak.

“And now I need to become a better rider so I can find Heather and make things right.” Dagur finished, bringing one arm up to rub at the back of his head. For a few seconds he shifted uneasily before continuing. “There’s actually another reason I’m here.”

“Oh?” Tengan’s eyes narrowed and her body tensed.

“Yeah.” Dagur let his arms fall to his sides. “I want to apologize. To you and Rumble specifically.”

Tengan froze, her mouth hanging open slightly in shock. “I have to say I wasn’t expecting that.”

Dagur chuckled nervously. “Fair enough. I spent some time thinking and realized that I probably, no, definitely made life difficult for the two of you. And I may or may not have misunderstood some signals between us.” He finished almost too quietly to be heard, his gaze dropping to the ground.

Tengan scoffed. “Oh you mean convincing yourself that I had been secretly in love with you for years and had dedicated all of my life choices to impressing you?”

Dagur flinched, his eyes still downcast. “Yeah, that. I truly am sorry. I know it’s not easy and you don’t have to answer, but, do you think you could forgive me? Eventually?”

Tengan stood quietly for a moment, staring intently at the bashful man before her. Before she could decide on how to respond, she was bumped aside as Rumble shoved past her.

The Skrill approached the Gronkle and rider slowly, his eyes narrowed. He growled low in his chest when Shattermaster approached, raising to his full height and extending his wings. For several heartbeats the two dragons squared off. Something unseen shifted between them and Shattermaster stepped aside, allowing Rumble to continue his advance on Dagur. Lowering his head, he glared sternly at the Berserker, unblinking.

Tengan stood frozen to her spot, concerned she might spook either of the tightly wound dragons if she so much as stepped towards them. “Rumble….” She called out gently.

Rumble huffed into Dagur’s face, sending a wave of static electricity through his hair before he closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly, bumping his snout to Dagur’s forehead. A low hum vibrated through him and into the Viking before he pulled away, taking several steps back. With a playful growl, he turned to Shattermaster and took two large, running steps before leaping into the air.

Tengan sighed in relief as the Gronkle took off in pursuit of the Skrill. A genuine smile danced across her lips as she approached the clearly baffled Viking before her. “I think it’s safe to say he forgives you.” She met his eyes and found she rather enjoyed how gentle they looked when his face wasn’t contorted with rage and frustration. “And if Rumble forgives you, I suppose I can too.”

Dagur beamed and laughed. “Oh, thank you!” He quickly pulled her in for a bone-crushing hug and released her just as suddenly as he had grabbed her. Practically dancing, it took him several moments to calm down. His eyes were eventually drawn to the far off shapes of the two dragons as they tumbled through the air. “Uh, how are we going to get them to come back?”

Tengan, slightly ruffled by the embrace, shrugged mildly before taking a seat in the grass, a lopsided grin playing on her face. “We don’t. They’ll come back once they’re done playing. Until then it’s just you and me. Might as well have a seat.” She patted the patch of grass next to her.

Dagur stiffened for a moment before taking a seat. He placed his closed fists on his lap and stared straight ahead.

Tengan shook her head slightly, wondering how this awkward Viking was ever considered one of their greatest foes. “You know, it will take some time for the others to come around. But, it will be good to have another Rider helping us out. Viggo has been making life difficult lately.”

“I’m sure you’ve had a hell of a time documenting all of it…. You are still doing that, right?” he added quickly with a small glance.

Tengan stiffened before pulling her knees to her chest. “Not as much lately….. when Viggo stole the Dragon Eye his men took my work. All of it.” She rested her head on her knees and sighed dejectedly. “My life’s work. Gone.”

Dagur flinched. “I-I’m sorry. If I ever come across it, I promise I’ll get it back to you.”

Tengan laughed bitterly. “Sure, Dagur.” She caught his downcast expression out of the corner of her eye and flinched at her tactless reply. Lightly, she placed her hand on his knee. “Thank you. That would mean a lot.”

Dagur stared at her hand before meeting her eyes, his face halfway between shocked and smiling. “Of course.” He chuckled nervously. “I mean, I never got to read what you wrote about me.”

Tengan flinched again, drawing her hand back. “Yeah, you may not want to. My opinion of you wasn’t exactly favorable back then.”

Dagur chuckled, his body relaxing. “Fair enough.” They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the dragons twist and dive above them. “Hey, Tengan. Can I ask you something?”

Tengan turned away from the dragons to meet his eyes. “Sure.” She found it difficult to look away.

Dagur took a deep breath as if he were steeling himself. “I..I just need to know… that kiss…?” He stared hopefully at her.

For a moment, Tengan saw part of herself in his eyes. The part that wondered if the chaos of her life and this war had driven away any hope of romance. “It was only ever a distraction tactic.” She answered honestly, hating her unwillingness to lie to him in that moment.

Dagur’s face dropped and he returned his gaze to the grass. “Yeah. I figured.”

Tengan continued to stare at him as those endless hours of fantasizing and reminiscing came back to her. The small pool of heat in her gut, one she thought had been extinguished by all the fear and war they had seen, began to glow again. “If I’m being honest... It wasn’t a bad kiss. Certainly nowhere near my worst.”

Dagur’s head whipped up as he stared openly at the young woman next to him, fixated. “Really?”

Tengan held the eye contact for a few seconds before turning away to stare directly ahead, her cheeks heating up again. “Really. Certainly much better than the time Snotlout tried to save me with the ‘kiss of life’ when I was napping on the beach.” She giggled into the palm of her hand before she could continue. “He thought I had drowned. I knocked one of his teeth loose for that one. Took us almost an hour to find it in the sand.”

Dagur threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing across the grass. The sound was free and light, no where near the manic cackling he had used most of his teen years. As the pair calmed, he found himself staring at her again, taking in everything from the insanely bouncy and tight curls framing her face to the way the sun danced on her dark skin. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. “You know… I wasn’t really trying. I can kiss a lot better than that.”

Tengan smiled softly and turned to meet his gaze. “I’m sure you can. Maybe I’ll let you try again someday.” She relaxed into the simple moment, letting herself become lost in the fantasy of a simpler life where her friends weren’t at war and her largest concerns could be who to court.

Dagur cocked an eyebrow. “Maybe?” He teased lightly, reaching out to take her hand.

Tengan allowed the contact, her fingers closing ever so slightly on his rough palm. “Maybe.” She repeated. “You’d have to earn it this time around.” Still smiling, she broke the eye contact once more to watch their dragons dance overhead.

“I think I can do that.” He murmured, more to himself than the girl next to him. Allowing his gaze to follow hers, he sat quietly for several moments. His shoulders relaxed and his breathing slowed, hitching periodically as her fingers twitched in his hand. “I hope talking to Heather goes this smoothly.”

Tengan stiffened, her eyes narrowing. As much as she wanted to help this new Dagur, the frenzied glare and violent movements Heather displayed last night over dinner weighed heavily on her mind. “I don’t think it will.” She frowned, pulling her hand from his to hug her knees to her chest again. She chewed her lower lip for a moment, carefully finding the words to help Dagur and protect Heather at the same time. “The last time I saw her, you came up in conversation. She’s still very angry. Mentioned several times she wanted to kill you to right the wrongs she’s been done in this world. Honestly, in some ways, I see her point.” She cast a quick glance at her deflating companion. “But she doesn’t know the new you yet. The old Dagur would have never shown the level of patience and compassion I saw from you today. When you see her, she might not take to you quickly. I know it’s not my place to offer advice….” She trailed off.

Dagur shifted closer and placed a large hand on her upper arm. “Tell me! Anything to get Heather back.”

Tengan nodded once before continuing. “She’ll need time and space to heal, after you’re able to speak to her. If she runs off, I suggest letting her. If you give her space to process everything I think she’ll come to accept you. It just may take longer than you’d like.”

Dagur’s grip on her arm tightened before slackening and he flopped down onto his back, letting his arms splay out. “Of course. Heather can be stubborn. Berserkers often are. It takes a lot to change our minds once we’ve decided on something….”

Tegan turned to look at him, her head cocked slightly. It almost felt as if there was something else hidden in that last statement just beneath the surface. She opened her mouth to ask before thinking better of it and closing it. If he wanted to elaborate, he would.

Two nearby thuds announced their dragons’ return. Rumble crawled up to Tengan’s unoccupied side before flattening himself against the warm grass. Shattermaster waddled rather quickly to Dagur’s exposed face before attacking it with enthusiastic licks.

“NO! GET OFF!” Dagur laughed, squirming under his dragon’s assault with little success.

Tengan giggled as she slowly got to her feet and gently nudged the Gronkle off his rider. “Well at least you got a kiss from someone today. Come on. Let’s get back before the others wonder if you’ve captured me again.” She offered her hand.

Taking her hand more out of politeness more than genuine need, Dagur hoisted himself to his feet. He maintained the contact between them for a few heartbeats more than was strictly necessary, acutely aware his beard was coated in Shattermaster’s saliva. “Next time it won’t be from a dragon.” His tone was serious. Determined.

Tengan blinked in surprise, the warmth in her stomach blossoming at the forward claim. “I’ll hold you to that. I look forward to seeing what you’ll do to earn it.” Turning away to hide the red tint on her face, she climbed into Rumble’s saddle and quickly urged him to take to the air. She was desperate for the wind to calm some of the heat that had settled within her.

Laughter filled the main hall as they touched down moments later. The determinedly quiet pair settled their dragons in the stables before joining the twins for dinner. Tengan made a point to sit in one of the corners as she picked at her food, content to watch Dagur listen politely as Tuffnut “demonstrated” Chicken’s move set for their guest. Her smile widened and a giggle escaped as Dagur chanced a confused glance over to her after the seventh or eighth time the flightless bird was lifted gracefully into the air and an egg plopped right into his waiting palm.

“Did you name all these moves yourself?” Dagur asked with apparent interest as he set the egg gently on the table.

“Maybe…” was Tuffnut’s sly reply, a smirk on his face.

Tengan shook her head gently at the spectacle before her. “Will you two let the man eat in peace?” She teased lightly. “He’s had a long day.”

“It’s not a bother, really!” Dagur insisted with a warm smile. “I’ve honestly never seen such a talented chicken.”

“Is that mutton? Awesome! We’re starving!” Snotlout’s voice rang through the hall as he and Heather walked through the doorway.

Heather quickly scanned the room, her whole body going rigid as she spotted Dagur at the table. “You!” She growled, her lip curling into a snarl.

Dagur’s face split into an ecstatic grin as he stood and spun on his heel, nearly knocking the bench over in his haste. “Sister!” He called out cheerily, his arms spread in welcome.

It took Heather all of three bounding steps to cross the room and press the blade of her axe to Dagur’s throat. Her eyes sparked with fury.

“I guess a hug is out of the question then?” Dagur chuckled nervously as he eyes the axe.

Heather’s face twisted as she dropped her weapon and slammed her fist across his chin.

It took several moments for the other riders to pull Heather off of Dagur, in which time she managed to land several good blows. Finally, the two were separated, with Hiccup standing between them, arms slightly raised to maintain the distance.

“Hiccup Haddock I cannot believe you kept my Heather from me!” Dagur shouted while massaging his sore jaw. “I was so worried! Was she alive? Was she dead?”

“Oh please, drop the act!” Heather spat as she struggled against Astrid’s hold on her upper arm. “And you!” She rounded on Hiccup. “It’s bad enough that you were consorting with my mortal enemy! But then you teach him how to ride dragons!” Freeing herself from Astrid, she grabbed Hiccup’s shirt and shook him slightly. “Have you lost your mind?”

“He saved my life, Heather.” Hiccup pleaded with her, his voice desperate.

“I don’t care!” She spat back. “You can’t trust him! He shows up right before our mission? It’s a trap. Why don’t you see that? Don’t you remember what he’s done? He set me adrift as a child and killed our father!” She shoved past Hiccup to approach Dagur once more, her entire body shaking with rage. “He tried to kill all of us multiple times!”

Dagur fidgeted under her intense gaze. “Most, if not all of those things, are true.” He admitted. “But I am trying to change, sister.”

Heather oppressed the edge of her blade to his throat again. “Don’t you EVER CALL ME THAT! You’re nothing but a spy!”

Dagur glanced frantically around the room. “I am not a spy. But I don’t know how to prove it to you. And it looks like you won’t take my word for it.” He sighed, his body deflating. “I wouldn’t take my word for it either. So, I guess it’s time for me and Shattermaster to be going. Thank you all for everything…” His voice cracked at the end as he turned and slunk out of the hall.

“Was he crying?” Snotlout asked in disbelief.

Tengan stared at the empty doorway for several moments before turning to Hiccup. “I’ll go after him.” She firmly, leaving once Hiccup returned her nod. She followed the wooden walkways carefully in the dying light, eyes struggling to adjust quickly. “Dagur?” She called out softly. “Please wait. We don’t want you to leave like this.” She paused, ears perked for a response. “Ok, I don’t want you to leave like this. Remember what we talked about?” She continued along the long path to the stable, speaking into the darkness. “She’s just going to need time. So how about we-” She froze as she passed Hiccup’s hut. The lantern inside illuminated Dagur standing over their strategy table as he gazed intently at their plans to attack Viggo’s shipyard. “What are you doing?” She whispered as she stepped inside.

Dagur turned to her, his hands clasped on a model ship. “Fishlegs and Heather both hinted at a mission. She may still hate me, but it’s my job to protect my sister. I need to know this isn’t some suicide mission.”

Tengan gazed down at the table. “It’s a shipyard. We were originally going to just keep an eye on it but when Heather and Windshear joined us the odds tipped in our favor. We’re actually planning to hit them early tomorrow morning before the men are even up.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get out of here before the others come along. If they see you standing over our plans it won’t earn you any points. The mission is safe, the ships are mostly unguarded.”

Dagur refused to move, his eyes glued to the models. “It’s too easy……” He furrowed his brow and thought for several more moments. “The only way in and out on dragon back is through the sea stacks…. Tengan, this is a trap.” He turned his gaze to her, his expression serious.

“You really think so?” Tengan stepped forward and looked over the models again, trying to see what he discerned that they had not.

“One hundred percent.” Dagur stepped behind her and placed his hands on her hips, gently coaxing her to crouch down to the ships’ level. “Look.” he spoke quietly in her ear. “If you were standing on the deck and dragons flew out from behind those stacks….”

“It’s a funnel.” Tengan gasped, straightening quickly. “Stay here, I have to go get Hiccup so you can tell him yourself.” She sidestepped the Berserker quickly and all but ran back to the hall. Even as she put distance between them, she could still feel where his hands had gripped her. She skidded to a halt before the open doorway to the hall. “Hiccup. I need you to come with me. Now.” She whispered, trying not to let herself be overheard by the others who were still occupied with talking Heather down.

Hiccup nodded and silently followed without complaint. Once back at his hut, he listened intently as Dagur explained, for a second time, how their mission was doomed to fail.

“You’re too gullible!” Dagur pleaded. “I should know.” He added with a mild chuckle. “I was able to trick you plenty of times. Let me ask you this: Did the number of ships in the yard suddenly increase?”

Hiccup blinked in surprise. “Yes, actually. Snotlout just told me their number jumped up from eight to twelve.”

Dagur gestured wildly. “Of course it did! Because eight wasn’t enough to lure you in!”

“What is going-” Astrid’s voice carried form the doorway as she laid eyes on the trio standing around the table. “So you are a spy!” She cried out as she charged into Dagur, slamming his back against the wall.

“Relax.” Dagur sighed in exasperation. “I was just talking sense into your boy Hiccup here.”

Astrid took a step back but kept her body tense, ready to pounce. “We can’t let him go now. He’ll run right to the hunters and tell them our plans!”

Tengan shook her head. “Astrid, I don’t think he will. Please just listen to what he has to say. He made a good point about the-”

Dagur cut her off with a wave of his hand. “It’s alright Tengan. She won’t believe me. So, lock me up if you have to.” He turned to stare directly at Hiccup. “Just know if anything happens to Heather I will hold you personally responsible.”

Astrid glared at the Berserker before binding his hands. “You try anything and you’ll regret it.” She snarled before shoving him out of the room. “I’ll take this one to the stables. You two better get some rest.”

Tengan glanced nervously between the models and Hiccup. “Are we sure we still want to try for an attack tomorrow? He did make some good points. It could be a trap.”

Hiccup pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know, I know. But this is too good of an opportunity to not give it a try. We’ll be extra careful. The second something doesn’t look right, we’ll leave… Astrid was right about one thing, we really should get some rest.”

Noticing the dismissal, Tengan nodded, slipped out of his hut, and began to walk back towards the stable to collect Rumble. On her way she passed Astrid, who was closing the door on her way out and was preparing to lock up. “I’ll take care of it.” She spoke up. “I like to have Rumble with me at night nowadays anyway.”

Astrid eyed her for a moment before nodding slowly. “Don’t let him get in your head, Tengan. You’re smarter than that.” Without waiting for a response, she turned and climbed onto the waiting Stormfly, taking off towards her hut.

Tengan slipped into the moonlit stable and quietly padded to the pair of stalls where Rumble and Shattermaster were being kept. Deftly, she opened the door her Skrill’s stall before dragging a crate over to the front of the Gronkle’s pen and took a seat, staring intently at the viking trapped inside. “So, I suppose it’s my turn to apologize.” She chuckled softly.

“What?” Dagur blurted out in genuine surprise.

“I should have told you I knew where Heather was. I suppose I was just hoping to spare you two from all of this” She gestured weakly to the world around her.

Dagur exhaled sharply, his lip curling up at the edge. “I can see why you did.”

She nodded, her gaze dropping to the floor. “I still believe you. Astrid and Heather will too in time. I hope.” She stood and approached the bars. “We can try again after this mission. I think if you tell them what you told me earlier today it might help.” She unsheathed a small knife and stuck her hands through the bars. “Let me undo those. It’s hard to sleep comfortably with your limbs bound. Trust me, I know.”

Dagur grinned sheepishly as he recalled the few instances he had forced that particular discomfort onto her. Holding his arms out, he stared openly at her gentle expression as she carefully cut through the ropes, avoiding his skin. As soon as the bindings fell to the cell floor he grasped her hands firmly, minding the blade. “Tengan. This mission is a trap. You know I’m telling the truth.”

Tengan jumped slightly in his grip but forced herself to relax as Rumble had jumped to his feet at her quick reaction. She stared directly into his eyes, amazed at how the green of the iris’ sparkled in the pale moonlight. “Maybe. But it’s a chance we’ll have to take. I promise I’ll keep an eye on Heather tomorrow for you.”

Dagur nodded and tightened his grip slightly. “Thank you. But she’s not the only one I’m worried about. You’re the only one who’s given me an honest second chance. I don’t want to see you hurt either.” He held her hands for a moment more before releasing them slowly.

Tengan blinked several times as she withdrew her arms and sheathed the small knife. She opened her mouth to speak but, at a loss for words, simply closed it and slipped out of the stables with Rumble, pausing only long enough to lock the door behind her. She did not speak again until she and her dragon were nestled in their respective beds and sleep began to overtake them. “Oh, Rumble. What is wrong with me?”

The Skrill merely snored in response and rolled onto his side.

The pale pink, predawn sky found the riders hustling about the arena. Their dragons stood stock still in single file as the teens filled their saddlebags with armfuls of Monstrous Nightmare gel bombs. Heather threw herself into the preparations the most, securing three loads before the twins had finished one. She grumbled to herself as she worked and almost knocked Snotlout to the ground as she bustled by.

Their preparations ground to a halt as Chicken sprinted into the arena as fast as her tiny drumsticks would carry her, squawking madly.

“What’s wrong girl?” Tuffnut crouched down to listen to his pet’s anguished clucks. “Oh? Really? Dagur has escaped?”

“WHAT?!” The cries of the other riders echoed in unison around the arena. Several bombs were dropped in haste as they all scrambled into the saddle. 

“I told you this would happen!” Heather yelled to Hiccup as they flew in formation around the island.

“Shattermaster must have broken him out!” Hiccup called back to the others. “Let’s go gang! We have to hit that shipyard before Dagur gives away our plan!”

The frantic flight towards the shipyard was mostly silent. Tengan chewed the bottom of her lip nervously, her fingers flexing as her nails dug into the saddle. ‘He never would have gotten loose if I hadn’t untied his hands.’ She berated herself as they approached the fog bank surrounding the shipyard. ‘But why would he do this? He seemed to really want the others to believe him. Dagur was never good at maintaining a lie for long. He always enjoyed bragging too much. This has got to be about something else.’

“There he is!” Astrid shouted to the group and pointed towards the disappearing shape of a Gronkle into the thickening mist.

Heather shot past the group and after Dagur, urging Windshear to overtake the Gronkle as the others struggled to keep up.

Tengan gasped as Shattermaster out maneuvered Winshear and approach the lead ship before launching a spew of lava onto the deck. “Look!” She cried out to the others. He’s attacking them! He’s on our side!”

Hiccup urged Toothless to cut across Windshear’s path. Slowing to an almost hover, he forced her back into formation. “No matter what happens we stick with the plan! On my signal we attack!”

“Wait! Look!” Fishlegs cried out, pointing towards the ships.

The group watched in horror as scores of hunters emerged from hidden alcoves along the sea stacks. Waves of dragon root arrows and flaming boulders were hurled at poor Shattermaster, who desperately dove, rolled, and veered out of their way.

“What does he think he’s doing!?” Snotlout shouted in disbelief.

“Proving he was right! That this is all a trap!” Hiccup answered, guilt dripping from every word.

The group could only watch as Shattermaster’s lava blasts, combined with the flaming bits of ship, formed a dark cloud of smoke that covered the entire battlefield. Soon not even the silhouettes of the ships below could be seen. 

“We have to help him!” Tengan screeched and started to urge Rumble forward, only to be stopped as Stormfly blocked their path.

“There’s nothing you can do. Nothing any of us can do. He’s gone.” Astrid cried out to her friend, a somber frown etched on her face.

Hiccup nodded once. “Astrid is right. We need to head back to the Edge.” He turned Toothless and led the group away, flinching every time a dull explosion reached their ears.

Tengan hovered before the battlefield alongside Heather for a few extra wing beats before the pair of girls turned and followed.

The group flew back in silence, only broken once their island came into view. “This was my fault.” Hiccup choked out. “I should have listened to him.”

Astrid guided Stormfly closer to Toothless. “He knew it was a trap but he still flew right into it.” Her gaze was fixed on her saddle.

“We never saw him hit the water!” Snoutlout spoke up, an edge of hopefulness in his voice. “So maybe….?”

“Yeah.” Ruffnut added with a glance towards her twin. “Maybe….”

Fishlegs tightened his grip on Meatlug’s saddle. “I will never forget his noble sacrifice.”

Heather scoffed, her gaze forcefully locked on the approaching island. “You think my brother sacrificed himself? Not with his ego. He thought he could make it.” Her voice began to waver at the end.

Tengan felt herself smiling slightly towards Heather despite her heavy heart. “He would have liked hearing you call him that.”

“What?" Heather asked, eyes still boring into the rapidly growing base.

“Your brother. In the little time we spoke it was clear he really wanted to do right by you for once.” Tengan pointedly turned her gaze from Heather when she saw the girl reach up to rub her eyes.

As the crew arrived on the base they all silently split up and made their way to their huts, with Heather making a beeline for the stable. Tengan all but fell out of Rumble’s saddle as he touched down outside her hut. Breathing heavily, she slumped against her dragon’s side, fighting to keep her thoughts under control. She barely registered the concerned vocalizations from the Skrill and didn’t respond until he had nosed her gently into her hut. She took a few steps into the opening before her knees gave out and she collapsed on the floor, bringing her arms up and around herself to ward off the dark thoughts. “It’s not fair….” She whispered to the floor. “It’s not fair. Not right after…. He was…” Her breath hitched and she slumped forward, intending to throw herself on the floor.

Rumble, anticipating her actions, slipped his head beneath her collapsing body and stopped her descent. Letting out a long keen, he shifted slowly until she laid against his side and curled his body around his weary rider.

“Poor Heather. She’s got to be feeling worse than I am. She’s all alone now.” Her voice caught in her throat. “No. He could have survived. We never saw Shattermaster take a hit.” She curled into her body tighter. “He’s coming back, right Rumble?” Her question sounded like a desperate plea, even to her own ears.

Rumble vibrated his chest deeply and nudged his head against hers. His eyes stared intently into hers, the pupils soft and understanding. A soft breeze flowed into the hut from the open door behind the pair, ghosted across his scales, and sent a piece of loose parchment fluttering to the floor before them.

“What’s that?” Tengan lifted her heavy head from Rumble’s side and stared at the folded paper. “I don’t remember leaving anything out.” She stretched as far as she could without leaving the cocoon of her dragon’s embrace and was barely able to grasp it with her fingertips. Sliding back into a more comfortable position, she unfolded the paper to find a few sloppy sentences written across the center of the page.

Tengan,

I’m sorry. I won’t have enough time to earn that second kiss.

Rumble is lucky to have you as a rider.

Dagur


	19. Resurrection

In all her years of study, Tengan had never read anything that indicated it was possible to mourn something that never was. Yet, here she was, weeks later, struggling to find the strength to rise from her bed. Dagur’s note lay clutched in her hands, the edges hopelessly crumbled from the constant contact.

Though her grief shadowed the corners of her mind, she was still wise enough to know she did not mourn just the fallen man, although his loss had added another blow to the group’s morale. She knew her sorrow came from knowledge of the life the Dragon Hunters had stolen from her; and felt it all the more strongly in her understanding. Stripped of her work, thrown into a war where more people and dragons fell with each defeat or mistake they made, and the weight of the future on the shoulders of eight young adults made mundane tasks difficult. Anything other than caring for Rumble or flying missions to protect others from the same fate felt... unnecessary. Out of sheer force of will she maintained daily journal entries, although they were short and sloppy. 

Even with the consistent pull of her bed, sleep was difficult to come by. On the occasions she managed to drift off, her dreams taunted her. Images of herself and Dagur in the far off future holding a small infant, of sharing the contents of her journals with a large room filled with young, happy faces, or, worst of all, the one where she was a child again, learning her letters from her parents. Those moments of peace always shattered as dawn broke, plunging her into the aching existence of an island at war.

Heather seemed to be the one who understood the most. The day after they returned to the Edge she had pulled the girl aside and shared her short note as well as the conversation the two had shared on the grassy hills. She held Heather as the poor girl sobbed freely and read the note Dagur left his sister when offered the chance. An unspoken bond, born from the wreckage of loss, seemed to tie them, one that only strengthened as the pair labored day and night to construct a new hut for Heather in the following days.

Lately, Tengan had made a point to bring Heather food on the days she found the strength to prepare more than cold bread and dried meat. In return, Heather often dragged her to the hot springs hidden up in the mountains after a long patrol. Through their sparse conversations, Tengan was pleased to find out that on the days the world seemed too much to bear, the other girl had found additional solace in Fishles’ company. It brought her a small amount of joy to know that there could still be love left in the world for these battered Riders.

It had been easier for all of them to pretend their wounds were not so raw when Gobber landed on their shores a couple weeks back. He claimed he had been sent to help them rebuild the armory, but Tengan and Hiccup had deduced one evening that Stoick had probably sent him to help them feel normal again for a while. And it did. Having an “adult” around to take some of the responsibilities off their shoulders felt wonderfully freeing. In that time the twins had started auditioning new boars for the pit and Snotlout had reignited his campaign to prove why he should be the unchallenged leader of the Riders. For a time, everything felt almost normal. 

It was not meant to last. Hiccup had gambled against Viggo again, and lost. The Riders, plus Gobber, had tried to take down a dragon auction ring Dagur had mentioned in his note to Heather, using all of Berk’s gold as collateral. The plan was to disguise Snotlout as an eccentric buyer, seeing how none of the Hunters had ever seen him up close. Of course, it all fell through and left them with only one rescued Hotburble, who Gobber affectionately named Grump, and an empty chest.

All of this fell over the group like a dark cloud when Gobber eventually had to head back to Berk bearing the news of the lost treasure. The dire mood threatened to drown the Riders at the slightest provocation. While they continued to fight, and fight bitterly, each victory was hard won and often hollow. Without gold, Berk would be hard pressed to survive past the winter. Johann had graciously taken a larger expanse of items in trade, but he could only do so much without endangering his ability to feed himself. The mental stress and nonstop fighting led to more mistakes. More mistakes led to frequent injuries. Tengan had to fly to the farthest reaches of the archipelago on several occasions to rebuild and maintain her medicine stores. Even with her efforts, often they had flown into battle with half healed injuries and returned home with new ones.

Even the recent discovery of their newest allies, Queen Mala and her Defenders of the Wing, was bittersweet. Unsurprisingly in hindsight, Viggo had orchestrated the entire meeting. The clashing ideals of the Riders and the Defenders had almost led the teens to face execution for their supposed “mistreatment” of their dragons. Not to mention the Hunters taking advantage of the conflict to steal the Eruptodon, leaving the island to sink as lava rose to consume it. The race to recover the missing dragon and fortify the town had been terrifying. Tengan and Rumble had remained behind with Heather and the twins while the others left in pursuit. The small group had exhausted every last store of their energy digging trenches and falling logs, all while casting nervous glances at the sky. They wouldn’t know until hours later that Viggo had taken the titan wing dragon to the Edge, planning on having it eat away at the crust to expose the dormant lava beneath. They had been shockingly close to succeeding.

Although their island had been saved, their base had been ransacked once again. While the Hunters had not had enough time to toss their huts, they had spread more than enough misery with their attack. A couple more Night Terrors, in a valiant attempt to defend their home, had been mortally wounded. They passed into the void early the next morning, despite Tengan’s best efforts to sustain them. In the days that followed, no matter how hard she scrubbed, the dark red stain in the center of her hut remained.

Tengan choked back a sob at the memory as she curled tighter into herself, shielding Dagur’s note with her body. She remained that way for some time, frozen in her grief, until she felt the fur draped over her slowly slide off her body. Opening her eyes, she tried to smile at Rumble, who gazed at her sadly, his teeth clamped around her blanket. “Is it time to join the others?” She asked in a cracked voice. When he let out a low keen, she forced herself into a sitting position, and drew the Skrill’s great head into her lap. “I’ll be alright boy. Don’t worry about me. Let’s make sure everyone has a great day today. It’s not often we’re invited to a festival hosted by the Defenders.”

The flight to Caldera Cay seemed to lighten the hearts of the Riders with every mile that slipped past them. By the time their dragons touched down on the sandy shores before Queen Mala, all except Snotlout, who sat nervously chewing on his fingernails, were smiling.

Tengan adjusted Rumble’s saddle and withdrew an empty scroll while she half listened to the distant sounds of a cheering crowd and the murmurs of Hiccup and Mala’s conversation nearby.

“You’re telling me a hooded stranger risked his life to save you?” Hiccup asked pensively as he scratched under Toothless’ chin.

“If it weren’t for him, we may not have made it back to tell you this story.” Mala responded lightly.

“And you’ve bought weapons from this island before?” Hiccup pressed, his body tense.

“Yes. For many years.” Mala nodded somberly. “It will be difficult to establish new trade relationships with the other ports.”

Heather cast a concerned glance at Tengan before approaching the two. “This doesn’t make any sense. We’ve been there loads of times, it never used to be like that. That island has always been peaceful.”

Hiccup nodded as if deciding something. “Heather, as much as I would hate to miss this festival, we should go check it out. See if something is going on.”

Tengan glanced between the scroll in her hand and her dark-haired friend before speaking up. “I’d like to come too, if that’s alright.”

All of the riders froze in their tracks and turned to stare, some open-mouthed at their friend. Hiccup, recovering the fastest, spoke for the group. “Tengan, are you sure? You’ve never missed a chance to document a new, rarely-seen-by-outsiders event. This has ‘you’ written all over it.”

Tengan’s grip tightened on the scroll as her gaze fell to the sand beneath her boots. “I just don’t want to be around a lot of people today.” She bit her tongue, hoping the others would not press her to elaborate.

Mala nodded, her eyes gentle. “You all have seen tremendous trials and hardships lately. I understand the simplest things can be difficult in times like this.”

Astrid stepped forward and laid a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I can take notes for you. They won’t be as good as Fishlegs’ but they’ll do.” She chuckled gently at her own joke.

Tengan smiled as a rush of gratitude flowed through her. “Thanks Astrid.” She pressed the empty scroll and charcoal pencil into her hands. “I owe you one.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Astrid smiled back as she turned to Mala, pencil poised above the empty paper. “So, what is this festival all about anyway?”

Mala straightened and clasped her hand together, a warm smile on her lips. “We call it, The Trials. Three tests that are used to determine our next king. I’m surprised Snotlout didn’t fill you all in. I detailed everything in his invitation.”

“Wait a minute.” Tuffnut gasped, a devious smirk on his face. “Are you telling me that we get to watch Snotlout perform impossible and horrifically dangerous tasks in a futile effort to become king? Oh someone pinch me! I am definitely dreaming.”

“How lucky are we!?” Ruffnut cheered as she violently pinched her brother’s side.

Snotlout simply paled and mumbled an unintelligible excuse as he slid from Hookfang’s saddle.

Hiccup shook his head, a deep sigh escaping him. “Mala would you please excuse us for a minute?” When the queen made her leave, he turned and held a hand up to stop Snotlout from interrupting. “I don’t even want to know how this happened. Here’s the plan. The three of us are going to check on the Northern Markets. The rest of you are staying here to help Astrid make sure Snotlout doesn’t get himself killed. Everyone got it?”

After the riders murmured their agreement Tengan, Hiccup, and Heather took off and banked sharply North, climbing to stay close to cloud cover. Thankfully, the trading post was only an hour’s flight north of Caldera Cay and the three touched down in a sheltered patch of forest before the Sun had climbed to its apex. They quickly changed into the spare Hunter’s gear they had lifted from a ship on one of their successful missions. It had only taken a few days to modify and dye the outfits black. They still resembled the rough garb of their enemies but were different enough to not be mistaken for one of Viggo’s men if approached by a potential ally.

“I can never get all of my hair under this thing without braiding it first.” Tengan grumbled as she attempted to force her crazy curls flat. After the hood popped off her scalp the third time she groaned in frustration.

“I think I know a way to help.” Hiccup bit back a laugh as he spoke. “Promise you won’t get mad though?” Without waiting for her response, he gave Toothless the “smile” hand signal before pointing to Tengan.

“Why would I be mad at- TOOTHLESS NO! THAT IS SO GROSS!” She struggled in vain as the Nightfury drew his tongue across her scalp several times, pasting her hair flat with his sticky saliva. After several licks she managed to free herself and quickly yanked the hood up over her sopping wet hair. “Oh, shut up you two.” She added with a small chuckle as Heather and Hiccup doubled over with laughter.

Heather eventually forced herself to straighten up. “Hey, at least no one will recognize us now. Let’s get going.”

The trio began their walk towards the market, stopping as their dragons made to follow. “No guys, you have to stay here,” Hiccup urged. “Three hooded strangers is one thing. Three hooded strangers with a Skrill, a Razorwhip, and a Nightfury is not too stealthy.”

Tengan felt only a little guilty at the kicked puppy expressions the dragons wore as they slunk back into the shelter of the forest. “He twists my heart every time he pulls that face. It’s the reason I had Fishlegs help me find that stone slab for him to have a comfortable bed in my hut. Nearly broke three toes putting it in.”

Heather nodded, sniggering as Tengan brushed a stray strand of Night Fury saliva off her cheek. “Windshear does the same thing. Why do you think my bed is in the center of the room now? When it was just us, she used to curl around me at night. Guess she’ll never break the habit now.”

“Guys can we focus on the task at hand?” Hiccup scolded mildly and without any real effort. It was nice to hear the two talking so freely again when most days had lapsed into morose silence on the Edge. His expression darkened as they strode into the crowded alleyways of stalls and merchants. “Keep on guard. There are a lot of Hunters here. Whoever that hooded figure was had it right: this isn’t a safe place to be in anymore.”

The trio paused halfway down one of the aisles to allow Hiccup to study the make of the arrows out front. Immediately, a mountain of a Hunter thundered over and yanked the shaft from his hands. “These weapons are spoken for.” The statement hung threateningly in the air.

Heather grabbed Hiccup and Tengan’s shoulders, spinning them around as she called out. “Let’s go. Clearly none of these are for sale.” She dropped her voice as they continued walking. “Keep your guard up. Two men are following us. Wait until we can get to the cover of that boulder then-”

The rest of her plan was lost as a plasma blast knocked the two pursuers off their feet and shattered a nearby crate of one handed swords. Chaos erupted as traders and Vikings alike scrambled for cover. Hiccup whipped around to the source of the blast and subtly gestured for the dragons to continue to lay low. The slight rustle of the leaves and a flash of silver scales told them they had obeyed the request for now. “We need to get out of here before someone sees our dragons.”

“And before any more of those men come after us. Let’s go!” Tengan hissed as two more men began to close in. Taking her friend’s hands, she charged through the crowd as several more blasts of fire and lighting emerged from the bushes. Diving into the brush, she let go of them and doubled over to catch her breath. “Are you both ok?” She wheezed, glancing up at them.

Heather, although her breathing was just as ragged, stood stock still, staring down a nearby cliffside at a sheltered dock where a cluster of Dragon Hunters were laughing, clearly having been too far from the market to have heard the commotion.

“Heather? What’s wrong?” Hiccup pressed lightly as he noticed her unnatural stare.

Heather shook her head as if to clear it. “It’s nothing. I just-”

The trio snapped their attention to the dock as a familiar, booming laugh carried up to them. One of the men threw back the hood of his worn traveling cloak to reveal a head of messy, fiery hair. Still laughing, he shoved one of the other Hunters into the water, coaxing a chorus of cackles from the other men.

“N-No.” Hiccup stammered. “That, That’s impossible! We all saw…”

Tengan leaned forward slightly and rubbed her eyes, sure they had been playing tricks on her. When the laughing man was still there, she shook her head in disbelief. “Is that-?”

Heather’s eyes narrowed as her fists clenched dangerously tight. “That’s Dagur. And, from the looks of it, he’s working with the Hunters again.” A low hiss, not unlike the Riders had often heard from Windshear, escaped her lips. “I should have trusted my instincts. Dagur will always be a dirty, underhanded, untrustworthy, lying-”

Tengan took a step back towards her friends, keeping her eyes glued on the man she thought dead only this morning. “No. That can’t be it. You didn’t see him with Shattermaster that last evening, Heather. He’d never go back willingly.”

Heather rounded on Tengan, her posture similar to a wounded dragon cornered by wild boars. “I know why you WANT to believe he’s changed. But you can’t deny what we’re seeing!”

Hiccup stood between the two women. “Dagur risked his life to save all of ours. Why would he do that? Just to go back to the Dragon Hunters? No, it doesn’t make sense. We’ll get to the bottom of this. We’ll get Dagur alone and figure out what he’s doing here.”

Tengan followed her friends back to the market, her mind racing as her eyes rapidly shifted between the faces streaming past. ‘If he was alive all this time, why didn’t he come back? Did Shattermaster survive as well? How did he convince the Hunters to let him live?’ Her thoughts spun rapidly in her mind, threatening a spell of lightheadedness as the trio slunk into the shadows in a neglected tunnel of an old watch tower.

“Did either of you see any sign of him?” Hiccup asked quietly, glancing over his shoulder to ensure they were still alone.

“No.” Heather spat. “You should have let me take care of him when I had the chance.”

Tengan opened her mouth to report and stopped as a familiar pleased growl echoed from the opposite end of the tunnel. Her eyes widened as Rumble, flanked by equally proud Toothless and Windshear, emerged from the brush and deposited a struggling Dagur at their feet.

“Good timing.” Hiccup praised the Skrill. “We’ve got it from here guys.”

Heather shouldered past her friends and clamped down on her brother’s shoulders, shaking him violently. “Out with it! What are you doing here? Why didn’t you come back to the Edge?”

Tengan approached quickly and stared wide-eyed, waiting for a response. She spared a quick glance at his clothes. They were dirtier and more ragged than she had ever seen them.

Dagur, eyes as wide as dragon eggs, flinched away from Heather’s assault and screeched with all his might into the tunnel. “HELP! ROBBERY!”

Tengan slammed down to her knees and quickly covered Dagur’s mouth with one of her hands, cutting his cries off. “Shh! Dagur it’s us! Calm down!” Her eyes furrowed with concern as he continued to struggle. “We’re not going to hurt you! Please!” She slowly withdrew her hand as Heather backed away.

“Is he serious?” The dark-haired Viking sneered as she gestured towards her brother, who still sat sprawled out in the dirt. “ARE YOU SERIOUS?” She advanced on him again, her arm raised to strike.

Hiccup caught her by the elbow. “Maybe he really doesn’t know who he is. He could have gotten hit on the head when he-”

Heather shrugged Hiccup off. “You can’t be buying this! It’s just a lame trick. Isn’t it, brother?” The last word all but dripped with venom.

Tengan turned her attention back to the cowering man on the ground next to her. “Dagur, please listen to us.”

He flinched away from her hands, his body trembling. “Please don’t hurt me! Please! I have nothing! ANYONE! HELP!” He cupped his hands to his mouth and projected his pleas behind the Riders.

“Dragon Riders!” The lead brute of a small force of Hunters, no doubt drawn in by Dagur’s cries, grinned as they bore down on the small group. “Grab them! And the dragons! They’re all worth a small fortune! Especially that Night Fury.”

Tengan rose to her feet and spun on her heel, drawing her sword in the process. Her free hand flung outward to shield the cowering Berserker behind her. “Try it and see what you lose in the process.”

Hiccup groaned as he turned to face the Hunters. “You guys really want to do this? Now? Fine.” He took a single step to the side. “Toothless? Plasma Blast if you please.”

The girls quickly sidestepped as the Night Fury’s blast shot past them and toppled over the advancing men. Tengan crinkled her nose as the telltale smell of singed hair and burned flesh met her nose. They would live, but those burns would leave horrid scars.

The guards at the rear of the group shoved past their fallen comrades to test their luck against Windshear and Rumble. The sound of rasping steel and furious growls echoed endlessly along the curved walls of the tunnel. Within seconds the men had all been downed; grisly cuts to their legs and arms dotted every one of them.

Tengan glanced around the tunnel and surrounding woods as she wiped off the blood smears from Rumble’s face and chin. Among the bleeding and burned, one person was unaccounted for. “Did either of you see him slip past you?” She asked hopefully.

“No.” Hiccup sighed as he dragged one of the Hunters further into the shadows, hiding him from direct view of the market. “We’ll have to regroup and keep looking later. It’s not safe to stay here right now.”

Heather growled and stomped past the two, pausing only to give Windshear a rough, but appreciative, pat on her bloodied snout. “Then let’s get going.”

The trio slipped between the cover of the bushes along the edges of the market for the remainder of the day, often lying low to avoid being seen by hustling groups of Hunters. Apparently, word travels fast when three rare dragons maim a group of warriors. It was only when the Sun had slipped below the horizon did Heather acquiesce to her friends’ pleas and they moved their vigil further away to the remote dock they had seen Dagur at earlier.

“Heather.” Hiccup whispered gently. “We’ve been here for a while. If we don’t see him soon, we really should-”

“Look!” Heather hissed, pointing down at the dock. “That’s him! And he’s all alone.”

Tengan leaned forward as far as she could without breaking cover, her eyes narrowed in focus. A flash of red caught her eye as the fading light caught a patch of bright hair. “Ok, that definitely is him. Now, I think we should plan how to approach this time.”

“She’s already gone.” Hiccup mumbled as he watched Heather tear down the cliffside with Windshear flying closely overhead. “Tengan, we need to stop her before she does something crazy.” His head whipped upwards as three ships turned the corner from the far side of the island and began approaching. “And fast!”

“Way ahead of you.” She sighed as she swung into Rumble’s saddle. Urging the Skrill into the air, she crouched low in the saddle as they glided down to the shoreline. Already, Heather and Windshear had taken several shots at Dagur, who was scampering for cover behind every empty crate or piece of driftwood he could find. “Heather, stop! You’re going to expose us all!” She cried out, knowing her plea would most likely fall on deaf ears.

“We have to end this. Now!” Hiccup called out, frantically glancing between Heather and the approaching ships. “We can’t let those ships see us!”

Thinking quickly, Tengan gave Hiccup a stern glance. “Follow me and close your eyes on my signal. I have an idea, but you’ll need to be ready to get out of here.” Without waiting for a response, she urged Rumble into a steep dive. “Alright boy, on my mark… NOW!” She tapped her heels into his side twice and briefly shut her eyes as Rumble released a quick burst of lightning, the bright light stunning the two Berserkers and the Razorwhip momentarily. 

Unfortunately, the display worked a little too well. Several deep cries and cheers, accompanied by the quiet hiss of arrows being loosed, carried up to the Riders as the ships redoubled their efforts to reach the dock.

Taking advantage of the momentary confusion, Tengan had Rumble swoop low over the dock and fasten one of his claws over Dagur’s right shoulder before taking off over the open ocean. “I’m sorry Heather but we need to take this elsewhere! We’re too exposed here!” She felt herself jolted as Dagur’s struggles threw Rumble off balance. “Easy boy, we just need to get him a little ways offshore.”

“Tengan! What are you doing!” Heather roared in frustration as she mounted her dragon and followed, her progress impeded as Windshear frantically dove and twisted to avoid a volley of arrows.

Hiccup shouted over the men roaring and jeering below them. “Heather calm down! She’s right. We’ll get back to the Edge and question him then.”

Dagur, still struggling in Rumble’s grip, roared up to the riders as the trading island and Hunter ships began to shrink behind them. “You have to put me down!” He cried desperately. “Take me back to the island! Hiccup! Heather! Tengan!”

The trio exchanged surprised stares, momentarily speechless, before Heather guided Windshear to fly just below Rumble’s talons. “I thought you didn’t know us!” She glared up at the dangling viking. “Weird that you’re getting your memory back now!”

Dagur continued to thrash in the Skrill’s grip. “I never lost my memory!” He panted in between struggles. “I had to disguise my identity! It would all be ruined otherwise!”

“What are you talking about?” Hiccup guided Toothless under the Skrill’s unoccupied side, giving Rumble enough room to correct his direction every time Dagur’s struggles threw him off balance. “What would be ruined?”

Dagur sighed and let his body finally go limp. “I am working for the Dragon Hunters. But only because they have Shattermaster!”

Tengan gasped and twisted in the saddle, trying desperately to catch a glimpse of the viking below her. “Where?”

Dagur craned his neck as far back as he could, his eyes wide and fearful in the dim moonlight. “There’s a large shipment of Gronkles heading to port. I was just trying to save my dragon!” His voice cracked as he continued. “But now it’s too late. I’ll never see Shattermaster again!”

Tengan’s heart dropped as he spoke. Her nails dug into the soft leather of her well-worn saddle as pained thoughts of losing Rumble to the Hunters flashed in her mind. Glancing around, she spotted a cluster of sea stacks not too far from their location. One looked large enough to support the three dragons Waving towards the other two to follow, she urged Rumble towards the landing pad. Once Dagur was safely deposited on one side she landed and slipped out of the saddle. Two soft thuds off to her left indicated Heather and Hiccup had done the same. 

Heather shifted her feet uncomfortably, her arms drawn in around her. Her expression seemed to be stuck halfway between furious and guilty. She opened her mouth several times as if to speak before settling on staring angrily at the rock beneath her feet.

Tengan, after several failed pleading glances towards her dark-haired friend, slowly approached the deflated Berserker. “Dagur, I’m so sorry. We didn’t know.”

Dagur kept his back to her as he stared off towards the distant trader post. “What’s done is done, I wouldn’t have trusted me either.” His voice was raised enough to be heard across the stack. After a moment, he turned to face the group, his face set. “Ok, so let’s talk about how you three are going to make this up to me.”

That seemed to help Heather find her voice again. “Make this up to YOU? Are you serious?” She lunged forward and would have landed what was shaping up to be a marvelous right hook, when Hiccup yanked her backwards.

“Woah, woah!” He soothed as he wrestled Heather several steps backwards. “Dagur, we will be happy to help you find your dragon. Aren’t we Heather?” He tentatively loosened his grip.

“Sure.” Heather shrugged; her eyes still narrowed. “AFTER I get some answers!”

Dagur smiled softly and approached his sister with calm, even steps. “My dear sister, I promise I will reveal everything later. Shattermaster must take precedence in these dark times.”

Tengan exchanged an expression of mild shock with Heather as Dagur and Hiccup immediately began strategizing. “You doing ok?” She whispered gently, nudging the girl’s shoulder with her own.

“Yes.” Heather snapped back before sighing. “No. I don’t know.” She turned away from the boys, her posture rigid.

Tengan gave her a moment before speaking again. “I thought I was dreaming when we saw him down by the docks. He’s been in my dreams a lot lately.”

“That’s disgusting, Tengan.” Heather said without any real malice as she glanced sideways at her friend, a small upturn of her lips barely present. 

Tengan shot back a tiny smile. “Not like that you perverted Rider. I’ve been seeing a lot of people, moments, and opportunities I’ve lost. Almost every night. This ongoing war with Viggo has taken so much from all of us.” She paused for a moment. “A lot of the people I see are never going to be anywhere but in my dreams. It is rare that someone we think we’ve lost comes back to us.” She squeezed her friend’s shoulder and turned away to give her privacy. “So. What have you two come up with?” She asked the boys.

Hiccup strode over to Toothless and quickly clambered into the saddle. “There are a lot of Viggo’s ships out there. We’re going to split up, do a quick fly over recon, and meet on the cliffs overlooking the docks.” Without waiting for a confirmation, he took to the air.

Tengan glanced between Heather’s uncertain glare towards her brother and Dagur’s hopeful glances at Windshear. Firmly, she placed her hand on Dagur’s shoulder and cast him a gentle smile. “You’ll be with me and Rumble. He’s the best at maintaining speed with more than one rider.” She glanced quickly over at Heather and gave the tiniest fraction of a nod.

Heather mouthed a quick ‘thank you’ before climbing onto Windshear and taking off, angling away from where she had last seen Hiccup and Toothless.

Tengan turned back to Dagur, frowning. “You’re pushing her too hard, too fast.” She chastised gently before swinging up into the saddle and extending her arm down. “She thought you were dead this morning. We all did.”

Dagur took the offered limb and quickly swung himself into Rumble’s saddle. Looping one of his arms around Tengan’s waist, he swallowed hard as he felt her hips shift back towards his. “I thought she’d be more excited to see me to be honest.” His voice was soft, almost downtrodden.

Tengan urged Rumble into the air and took a moment to silently circle the sea stack before slowly heading back towards the island. “When you disappeared, she was devastated. Cried for days and had a hard time eating. We shared the notes you left us. She keeps hers under her pillow and reads it at least once a day.” She sighed deeply, shaking her head. “She was just starting to come to terms with losing you when we found you. And then she learns that after all those promises you left her in that note, you decided not to come back for her.”

His grip tightened. “Only because I need to make sure Shattermaster is out of harm's way!” He pleaded desperately into the night.

She wriggled uncomfortably. “That’s a little too tight.” She let one hand slip down over his as she readjusted his grip on her waist, grateful the darkness hid the blood rising to her cheeks.

His breath hitched as he felt her move against him and quickly slackened. “Sorry, sorry! Forget my own strength at times!”

She let out a breathy chuckle. “It’s alright, no harm done.” Another drawn out moment where the only sound was the steady beat of Rumble’s wings. “She really is happy to see you Dagur. Just give her time and space. Like we talked about.” The silence hung between them for several moments before Tengan let out a short, amused huff. “You really are a changed viking.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling everyone.” Dagur agreed with a heavy sigh.

“Of course, I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant.” Tengan apologized quickly. “It’s just… this is the first time you’ve ever ridden Rumble, the dragon you’ve spent years trying to recapture. And all you can talk about is Heather and Shattermaster. You’re a good man, Dagur.” She hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and plowing on before her brain could convince her otherwise. “She isn’t the only one who missed you. I’ve thought a lot about our last conversation and your note. Once we get your dragon back I…. I’d like to try to continue where we left things off. If you’re still interested.” Her voice dropped to almost a whisper as they flew over the first line of ships. “For now, eyes sharp. We have to save that Gronkle of yours.”

Dagur blinked in surprise before silently giving her side a small squeeze and turning his attention to the ships below, eyes darting to catch a glimpse of his partner’s emerald scales. He began to fidget more and more as each ship they passed over seemed to only be carrying weapons. All the above deck cages sat empty, and the containment nets sat coiled neatly on the decks. By the time he and Tengan landed next to Heather and Hiccup, he was almost shaking with anxiety. “Well? Did you guys find anything?”

Hiccup shook his head. “No. All of the ships we flew over were just carrying new weapons. Heather?”

Heather produced a large, shiny Gronkle Iron mace from a weapons loop on Windshear’s saddle. “Same here.”

Dagur’s brow furrowed as his breathing became a bit shallow. “So where are the Gronkles?” His grip on Tengan’s waist began to tighten again.

Hiccup wore a grim yet determined expression. “I may have an idea. Follow me.” He urged Toothless into the air without another word.

Tengan, after readjusting her passengers’ grip again, coaxed Rumble into formation behind Windshear. “What’s on your mind, Hiccup?”

“Those weapons were all brand new.” Hiccup called out to the others. “I think Viggo traded the Gronkles to the iron masons for them.”

“But why?” Dagur chimed in. “Not that Gronkles aren’t the coolest, most awesome dragons ever…”

Heather whipped her head around to look at her brother, her eyes focusing as if this were the first time she had ever really studied him. “Never thought I’d live to see the day Dagur sounded exactly like Fishlegs.” She murmured, just loud enough for Tengan to hear.

“Dagur!” Hiccup called out, cutting off the sermon. “What would a bunch of masons want with Gronkles?”

Tengan gasped, catching on to HIccup’s meaning as she felt Dagur stiffen behind her and gently pound on his head with his free fist.

Heather smiled at the display, her eyes softening. “Comeon, brother.” She encouraged. “You got this.” She coaxed Windshear to fly a little closer to Rumble as she spoke.

“Iron!” Dagur gasped in realization. “They’re melting it! If we find the masons, we’ll find Shattermaster!”

“Bingo.” Hiccup smiled. “And their last ship was seen heading east. If we follow it we should be able to find their main foundry. Let’s get moving riders!” He crouched lower in the saddle, urging Toothless to pick up speed.

“Now is the time to hold on tight!” Tengan warned Dagur as Rumble, feeding off the energy of his companions, surged forward. She smiled to herself as Dagur, in an attempt to avoid the buffeting wind, pressed himself tightly against her back, his face buried in her hair. It took only a couple hours to locate the ship and silently trail it back to a small island dotted with high cliff walls.

The group landed and dismounted quietly before carefully creeping up the edge of the cliff. They peered down at the operations, eyes darkening at the sickening sight. Lines of beaten down Gronkles, all weighed down by numerous chains, were being led off the ship and into a few large holding cages. Most, if not all, bore layers of scars and some had a few fresh cuts on their sides and necks.

“Shattermaster!” Dagur whispered excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. His eyes never left the small green dragon as he spoke. “There he is!”

“Are you sure?” Heather asked firmly as she placed a hand on her brother’s shoulder.

“Of course I am!” Dagur continued to bounce, his grin unrestrained. “A man knows his dragon, am I right brother?” He glanced towards Hiccup.

“I have to agree.” Hiccup smiled and nodded towards the Berserker, his right hand lightly rubbing the ridges on Toothless’ head.

Dagur approached the edge of the cliff, his hands clenched tightly into fists. “I almost feel bad for those hunters.” He sneered. “They have no idea what’s coming. What do you guys say we show them what four angry Dragon Riders can do?”

Tengan took a step towards Dagur, her arm outstretched to grab his shoulder. “Woah, slow down there. We have to-”

“Hold on, Shattermaster!” Dagur cried out into the darkness as he sprinted down the steep hillside. “Daddy’s coming for you!”

Hiccup sighed as the three swung back into their saddles. “So, should we rescue him or-?”

Heather urged Windshear forward, her mouth set in a small, grim line. “I am going to kill him.” She failed to hide the amusement in her tone.

Tengan glanced rapidly around their small formation as the three dragons glided down towards the camp, their progress slowed each time they had to avoid a cluster of boulders or trees. They maintained the unspoken decision to stay close to the ground on the off chance they’d still be able to maintain some element of surprise.

“Stand back!” Dagur hollered as he snatched up a pair of discarded weapons and bore down on the camp. “I only want my dragon and I’ll leave in peace!” He grinned as a small group of Hunters clambered to their feet and started towards him.

Tengan’s eyes snapped forward as Dagur’s enthusiastic cries reached the riders. “Of course he’s already cornered.” She mumbled to Rumble as they winged closer to their impulsive ally. “Rumble, if you please?” She tapped her heels into his side twice, grinning as the Skrill downed all of the Hunters with a single, well aimed bolt. “That’s my boy!” She cheered, reaching down to scratch under his neck. Seconds after, she urged him higher into the air as the whoosh of arrow fire filled their ears. “Someone cover him!” She shouted as Rumble executed a tight backwards loop.

“I’ll draw their fire!” Heather shouted as she sped past the other dragons and parried an arrow with the head of her axe.

“Be careful!” Hiccup warned. “We’ll cover you from above!” Thinking quickly, he directed Toothless to blast the loose dirt under the feet of several Hunters on a steep hill. He cheered as the blast sent several men tumbling down into their waiting comrades below.

Tengan grinned, her heart racing as she watched Dagur dispatch several men as he fought his way towards Shattermaster. “I have to give it to him, he is a talented warrior.” She whispered to her dragon. Her eyes widened as she noticed a Hunter sprinting up behind the Berserker, totally unnoticed. She began urging Rumble into a dive but was forced to retreat as several arrows volleyed towards them. “Heather!” She cried out, gesturing to the advancing enemy with her sword. 

“On it!” She replied, urging Windshear into a steep dive. With a smirk and a sickening thud, she had the Razorwhip land painfully on top of the advancing viking, flattening him against the earth.

“Hey sis!” Dagur cried out as he turned and saw the unconscious viking beneath Windshear’s bulk. “So, how much trouble am I in?” He grinned playfully, one hand finding the back of his neck.

Tengan sighed with relief and turned Rumble to deal with the last of the archers. Within minutes of facing Rumble’s lightning blasts, the Hunters had either dropped their weapons and fled, or laid unconscious at the edge of their camp. Satisfied there would be no retaliation, she rejoined the group in time to see a large flock of recently freed Gronkles flying in giddy circles around a laughing Heather and Dagur. The latter sat proudly atop his wriggling, excited dragon, a huge grin stretched across his face. She exchanged a warm, knowing smile with Hiccup before taking up guard at the back of the herd, guiding the Gronkles towards a far off set of sheltered sea stacks. She circled above the stack twice, making sure all of the Gronkles had landed safely before touching down near the other riders.

“Alright Hiccup.” Dagur began from his perch atop Shattermaster, his hands up in surrender. “Before you start yelling-”

“I’m not going to yell.” Hiccup smiled warmly at the Berserker, his eyes gentle. 

“Wait, you’re not?” Dagur deflated, appearing mildly disappointed. “I had this great speech planned and everything.”

Heather chuckled, shaking her head. “You were just trying to save your dragon.” She slid from the saddle to hug Windshear’s neck.

“We all would have done the same.” Hiccup added, leaning down to rub behind Toothless’ ears.

“We all have done the same!” Tengan added with a large smile, slipping out of her saddle to scratch under Rumble’s chin as he hummed in appreciation. She giggled as he bumped against her chest. “Many times in some cases.”

Heather’s gaze drifted towards the Sun as it began to break over the horizon. The smile slipped from her face. “Uh, guys?” She said quietly, pointing off the eastern side of the stack. Off in the distance, several large Hunter’s ships were slowly making their way towards them.

“The rest of Viggo’s fleet.” Hiccup gasped. “Ok, we need to move, now! We’ll never be able to keep these Gronkles in formation and get them to safety if they spot us.” He began to glance around quickly, taking a mental headcount of their current charges.

Dagur slipped from Shattermaster’s back, his face set. “They won’t spot you. They’ll be too busy chasing me.”

Tengan’s face fell as she glanced between the Berserker and the approaching ships. “No! That’s insane. You just got Shattermaster back. It’s too dangerous. Between the four of us, we-”

“You know that won’t work.” He cut across her, his expression stern.

Heather approached her brother, her brow furrowed. “Dagur no! Tengan’s right. I...I can’t-”

Dagur’s gaze softened as he took one of Heather’s hands into his. “I promise I will return to you, sister. To reveal everything, and to answer all your questions.” He shifted his hold, gripping her left forearm in his hand while thumping his right fist over his heart. “This handshake seals the Berserker’s promise. A promise that cannot now or ever be broken.”

Tengan shook her head once more, a tightness threatening to overtake her chest. “No! Let me lead them away. Rumble and I will be fine. You just got back…” Her plea hung in the air.

Dagur slowly released Heather’s arm and approached Tengan, a small, understanding smile on his face. “I need you to help protect Heather when I can’t.” His voice was soft and even as he repeated the handshake with her, amused at how his hand nearly encompassed her entire forearm. “Besides, we have unfinished business. I told you I would earn that next one. And I will.”

Tengan’s breath hitched as she stared into his face, amazed at just how much she enjoyed the way the rising Sun’s light lit up his hair. After a moment she squeezed his forearm in return and nodded. “Don’t take as long this time.” She teased lightly as he pulled away.

With a small glance back at the other riders, Dagur scrambled back onto Shattermaster and took off, making a beeline towards the advancing ships, before heading off towards the open ocean and away from the others.

Tengan watched the retreating Gronkle for several seconds before approaching Heather and laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. “He’ll be back. He promised.” She wasn’t entirely sure if she was comforting herself or Heather more.

Hiccup approached the two, glancing curiously at Tengan before settling his attention on Heather. “That Berserker wrist thing is serious business.” He added comfortingly.

Heather watched her brother retreat until his dragon was no larger than a speck on the horizon. “I know.” She finally sighed before climbing back into the saddle, a small smile on her face. “Let’s get going. It’ll take a while to get these Gronkles over to Dark Deep and I’m curious to see if the others managed to keep Snotlout alive.”

Tengan chuckled before stifling a yawn. “Me too. I hope he’s mostly in one piece. I’m way too tired to play nursemaid at the moment.” She climbed into the saddle and rubbed her eyes. “It never fails. Every time we have to deal with Dagur it always turns into an all nighter.”


	20. Reclaimed Treasures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dagur can be really insistent once he's made up his mind about something..... or someone.

A phrase Tengan had once read floated to the forefront of her mind: The night is darkest just before the dawn. At the time, she had thought it was a nice sentiment; something to give people hope when the tragedies of the world sunk in. Now, she firmly believed in its truth.

The atmosphere on the Edge would never again be the unbridled optimism that first built the base, but no longer was it a sweeping black cloud hovering over their minds. Life continued to move onward as time finally seemed to be balancing the scales. Hiccup was officially named Stoick’s successor and the future chief of Berk. The small party the Riders had thrown in celebration lasted until sunrise and ended with Meatlug falling asleep on top of Tuffnut, who had rested on the floor just a moment too long. The Dragon Hunters had been conducting less raids as well, in no small part due to the team destroying their Dragon Root supply farm. Snotlout had been the man of the hour after that mission as he alone had discovered the preferred conditions for Dragon Root to grow. Hell, they had even been able to laugh about fending off a plethora of bounty hunters after Viggo placed a hit on Hiccup in retaliation for the destroyed crops.

Of course, that hadn’t meant everything was back to normal just yet. While the raids had significantly dropped in number and frequency, the Hunters had still been poaching wild dragon flocks and keeping the Riders busy. Not to mention that Berk was still struggling to regain it’s feet with their severely depleted store of gold. These threats were, as always, in the forefront of the Riders’ daily thoughts and were often discussed during planning sessions. It just seemed less hopeless lately. As if they were one turn away from establishing a firm upper hand over Viggo.

Tengan smiled and closed her eyes as the warmth of the sun seeped into her very being. While she still had mornings where lying in bed seemed the most attractive option, they allowed her to appreciate all the times the dark clouds in her mind gave way to blue skies. She spread her arms wide, balancing in the saddle with only her knees as Rumble climbed on an updraft. “It’s a fine morning, Rumble.” She yawned and gazed out over the south side of the island, content to watch the waves crash lazily against the shore as her mind drifted to the one person who seemed to occupy the majority of her thoughts in these moments of calm: Dagur.

She could recall with perfect ease how the setting sun made it seem like his intensely red hair was ablaze the last time they spoke, despite the weeks that had passed since then. His promise hung in the forefront of her mind as well; a declaration that there would be more in her life than battles and mourning. The gentle crease of his eyes and the slight smile on his lips as he spoke often set the almost ever-present heat in her lower stomach ablaze.

Pulling herself to the present, she placed her hands back on the saddle as Rumble swung around to face the sound of approaching wing beats. “Oh, hey Heather!” She called out, fighting to be heard over Rumble’s roar of welcome. “Here to join us? It’s a perfect day to practice dives. The updrafts are insane.”

Heather shook her head, an odd smile fixed in place. “No, I actually came to fetch you. It’s almost lunch time.” She laughed as Windshear greeted her Skrill companion by executing a tight loop over the pair.

Tengan giggled at the display and held on tightly as Rumble mirrored the other dragon’s movements. As the two leveled off she cocked an eyebrow at her friend. “Thanks. Not that I mean to be ungrateful or anything, but what’s going on? You usually save me a bit of food if I’m late coming back for meals.”

Heather shifted in her saddle and merely shrugged, her weird smile still in place. “Ok, maybe there’s something back at base I really wanted to show you and was too impatient to wait for you to come back on your own.”

Tengan threw her head back and laughed. “Alright, that sounds more like you. In that case, lead the way!” She crouched low in the saddle to avoid the buffeting winds as Rumble dove after Windshear. Giggles and whooping cries bubbled from the pair of Riders as their dragons, feeding off the girls’ lighter mood, rolled, twisted, and playfully snapped at one another as they made their way back to base. Tengan touched down seconds after Heather and quickly slid from the saddle as she gazed curiously around. “I don’t see anything different.” She mused mildly. “Unless you count how unusually quiet everything is. Are the twins even here?”

Heather chuckled and shoved her friend playfully towards their main hall. “They’re still here. Just go inside and have a look, will you?”

“Ok, ok.” Tengan chuckled back as she allowed herself to be herded inside. “I still have no idea what you’re talking… about...” The words died in her throat as she gazed, open mouthed, at the large table before her. Surrounded by her grinning friends, piled several feet high, were dozens of books and scrolls. Tengan stepped forward and slowly reached out, her limbs shaking as she traced over the handwritten title across one of the volumes. “Are these…?”

Hiccup nodded. “Yup. Your journals. It’s about time they made it back to you.”

“How did you… I mean… Where?” She gaped, not unlike a fish out of water, as she glanced at each of her friends in turn, half expecting the twins to yell ‘Lokied!’. Her eyes snapped back to the journals every few seconds; as if they would disappear if she took her attention away from them for more than a handful of heartbeats.

Hiccup shook his head and held his hands up. “It wasn’t any of us.” He smiled softly.

“Then who?” Tengan gasped as she clutched a particularly battered journal to her chest. A compilation of cultural observations from her first year on Berk.

Heather stepped up to the table and gently tapped her shoulder. “You have my brother to thank for this.” Smiling, she pointed behind them.

Placing the journal back down like a mother would set a newborn to rest in its cradle, Tengan slowly turned to face the door they had come in.

Standing off to the side, having been completely unnoticed as she made her way in, Dagur stood leaning against the wall. His smile widened as Tengan’s misty eyes locked with his. “I promised I’d get them back to you if I could.” He pushed himself off the wall and began to approach. “I still have a few more to hunt down though. Viggo never hid everything in one place. But I figured-”

Tengan cut off his sentence as she flung herself into his chest, her arms clinging around his neck. She pressed her face into his collarbone and squeezed as tightly as she could, too overcome to speak. She jumped as she felt his arms snake around her waist to pull her in closer, surprised again at just how easily he eclipsed her with his bulk.

Dagur rested his head on top of hers for a moment, losing himself in her wild nest of curls. “Can’t wait to see the kind of thanks I’ll get for finding the rest.” He chuckled into her ear.

Tengan leaned back to stare deeply into his eyes, her arms still delicately draped over his shoulders. For a moment, all she could hear was the pounding of her heart in her ears and all she could see was the endless green of Dagur’s eyes. After an eternity or an instant, she couldn’t tell which, her eyes fluttered shut and her lips captured his once more. Unlike the first time, their meeting was soft and gentle. She smiled into the kiss as she felt Dagur eagerly press further into it, his grip on her waist tightening. A squeak of surprise escaped her as she felt his tongue ghost across her lips and a chuckle vibrate from his chest into hers. Only when she felt her lungs protesting for air did she resurface, her cheeks wet with tears that had somehow escaped without her noticing. “I say you more than earned that one.” She whispered, planting a small peck on his lips. “And many more.”

“That is SO not fair!” Snotlout exploded. “I’ve been working on her for YEARS and he just waltzes in with a stack of books!” he slammed his fist on the table, sending a cascade of journals tumbling off the top of the pile.

Dagur’s head whipped up, his arms still tightly locked around Tengan’s waist. “Watch it, Snothat! I didn’t spend over a month tracking those down and wrestling them away from Viggo’s men for you to throw ‘em around!”

Tengan, firmly snapped back to reality, suddenly hyper aware of the seven sets of eyes boring into her back. She glanced sheepishly over her shoulder, before turning her attention back to the man still maintaining a firm grip on her waist. Letting her hands slide down to rest on Dagur’s chest, she smiled bashfully up at him. “You can let me go now.” She whispered, wriggling gently against his grip.

Dagur cocked an eyebrow, a devious smirk taking over. “Who said I wanted to?” he growled playfully into her ear. Shifting his grip, he picked her up and spun her in a quick circle, his booming laugh filling the hall.

“Alright you two, don’t make me gag!” Heather teased as Dagur deposited a breathless, giggling Tengan back on solid ground. “Sit and eat before lunch gets cold.”

Dagur perked up and allowed his grip to slip off of Tengan’s waist as he hurried over to the table. “Excellent! Shattermaster and I have been on the run for a while. It’s been easier for him because, you know, eating rocks and all. But, I haven’t eaten in days!” Throwing himself down on the bench, he paused only long enough to leave a small bit of space next to him before tearing into the hunk of meat before him.

Tengan slid into the offered space, pointedly avoiding making eye contact with the still stunned and silent riders scattered around the room. “You waited to eat until you gave my journals back?” She asked, a little dumbstruck. 

Dagur, his mouth too full to speak, simply nodded vigorously before swallowing with the help of a large mug of water. “Of course!” The bulk of the meat stripped from the bone, he settled more comfortably onto the bench. One arm lazily slid onto Tengan’s thigh while the other picked at the few remaining morsels. “Heather, that was delicious! And cooked to perfection!” He smiled warmly at his sister. “Cooking is in our family’s blood. I bet you make a wicked Berserk Chicken!”

The awkward tension in the room eased considerably as Chicken let out several loud, indignant squawks as she leapt onto the table.

Tuffnut scooped up his feathery charge, soothing her with gentle strokes of his fingers. “Watch your mouth, mister! She suffers from rotisserie phobia. You know? She fears the ol’ turn and burn.”

Dagur smiled apologetically. “Sorry Boynut and…” his smile widened. “Chickennut!”

Tengan fought to keep her attention on her own leg of mutton. The warmth and pressure of Dagur’s hand sent jolts to her stomach every time he shifted or gave her a light squeeze. She kept her gaze trained on the plate before her, still resolutely ignoring the staring peanut gallery.

“Ok, so is no one else going to ask?!” Ruffnut exploded, throwing her arms into the air. “Dagur why-”

“Have you come to visit?” Astrid cut across as she physically forced Ruffnut into a seat. “I mean besides… well….”

“Besides visiting my awesome sister and bringing a gift to my girl?” Dagur grinned unashamedly at the blond and gave Tengan an extra squeeze as he spoke.

Tengan’s head whipped up as her stomach flipped. ‘His girl?’ The words rang endlessly in her head. Her heart rate quickened considerably as her face heated up. “Dagur, hold o-”

“Yes.” Astrid continued, a strained smile on her face. “Other than that.”

“Oh yeah!” Dagur sat up straighter, totally oblivious to Tengan’s meek attempts to get his attention. “I know how to get back at Viggo.”

The amused, mildly teasing atmosphere hardened immediately. Hiccup, who had been comfortably leaning against a support log and smirking at Tengan’s expressions, surged forward, slamming his hands down on the table. “What? How?”

Dagur swallowed the last bit of his meat and cast an appreciative smile towards Heather before continuing. “The strangest thing happened while I was out searching for Oswald the agreeable-”

“Wait a minute!” Heather interrupted, her eyes wide. “You’ve been searching for our father?!”

Dagur nodded as he slid his hand from Tengan’s thigh to around her lower back. “Of course! Since I didn’t kill him and you didn’t kill him, I figure he must be out there, somewhere.”

Tengan shifted slightly at the new contact, distracted only mildly by Heather’s troubled expression. Making a mental note to pull her aside later, she allowed Dagur to pull her in closer to him while he spoke.

“So there I was,” the fiery haired Berserker continued, his smile widening as he felt Tengan lean towards him. “Searching for dear old Dad when I captured the wimpiest Dragon Hunter!” He broke down laughing for a few seconds. “I mean he was just a little tiny, wimpy thing.” He continued to chuckle. “I mean pretty much your size and build.” He gestured toward Hiccup with his free hand.

An amused bout of chuckles rang through the group as Hiccup glared back at Dagur, his expression almost pouty.

“Oh, no offense!” Dagur quickly added. “Anyway all I had to do was sneer at him, and he gave up everything! I actually had to give him the Berserker choke hold in order to shut him up!”

“Oo!” Tuffnut chimed in, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I love the Berserker chokehold! Do it to me!”

Dagur gave Tengan’s side a quick squeeze before sliding off the bench and playfully tackling the Rider. Laughing, he spun the smaller boy around and encased his throat with the crook of his elbow.

Tengan, taking advantage of the mild distraction, silently slipped off her seat and slid up to Heather’s side. “You doing ok?”

Heather sighed heavily. “Yeah I guess. I just wasn’t expecting him to say he was looking for our Dad is all….” She smirked, casting the other girl a sidelong glance. “What about you? How are you doing now that you’re my brothers ‘girl’?”

Tengan failed to hide her grin. “Oh shut up.” She elbowed her friend gently. “He’s just excited.”

Heather bit her bottom lip, coking her head to the side. “I wouldn’t be too sure. Remember this is Dagur we’re talking about. When he gets an idea in his head-”

“Dagur!” Hiccup interrupted the wrestling bout. “What did the Hunter say about Viggo?” He spoke as clearly as he could while maintaining some semblance of control over the impatience in his tone.

Dagur smiled back, quickly releasing Tuffnut. “I’ll tell you if you call me brother. Please?” He clasped his hands together, eyes sparkling. “Just once? Please?” He sighed as Hiccup’s stern expression remained unchanged. “Ok, ok.” He groaned. “You’re just a barrel of laughs today, aren’t you? He told me where Viggo keeps his gold.”

The Rider’s jaws dropped in unison. Fishlegs even let the stack of notes he had been compiling slip to the floor in a messy pile.

Dagur smirked and crossed his arms, the spitting image of a puffed up rooster. “And if I remember correctly, some of that gold belongs to Berk.”

“And we can get it back!” Hiccup gasped. “As well as cripple Viggo in one blow!” He nodded once, his face set. “Let’s ride, team!”

Tengan, recovering from the shock of what Dagur just explained, glanced quickly at the stack of her newly returned works sitting out on the table. “Wait!” She called out, reaching towards Hiccup. “I need time to put these away first.”

Hiccup glanced at the large pile on the table, frozen for a moment. He seemed to be fighting the impulse to refuse her request before he simply nodded once. “Yeah.” He said more to himself than the others. “Of course. We’ll all help you carry them back to your hut.”

Tengan exhaled in relief before gathering as many as she could in her arms. A stream of continuous “thank you”s left her lips as her friends happily scooped up as many books and scrolls as they could carry. Her endless stream of gratitude morphed into a squeak of surprise as Dagur shifted nearly half of her pile into his already overburdened arms. “Dagur, wait! I can carry those!”

“Of course you can.” He agreed happily, shifting his body so she couldn’t snatch any back from him. “Lead the way!” 

Flustered, and well aware of the good natured groans coming from several of her friends, Tengan trotted happily back to her hut, pausing only once to let Rumble sniff at the once lost journals clutched in her arms. As her friends offloaded their burdens in her living space, she quickly stored as many as she could under her bed, in chests, and behind makeshift locking cupboard doors she had installed over a few shelves. “That will have to do for now. I’ll organize them all when we get back.” Her eyes found Dagur’s again. “Thank you again for this. It means the world to me.” Her gaze softened. “When we get back-”

“NOPE!” Snotlout threw his arms up and stormed out towards the stable. “I am totally getting out of here before they start making out again!”

Tengan’s eyes widened as the other riders sniggered and left to collect their dragons. She could have sworn she caught Heather giving her a wink and a thumbs up as she left. Alone with Dagur and Rumble, she suddenly felt very small. “.....where’s Shattermaster? I haven’t seen him yet.”

Dagur smirked as she fidgeted. “He’s over by Fishleg’ hut with Meatlug. There was a bit of extra granite for him to snack on.” He closed the gap between them as he spoke. “Tengan-”

“I’m sorry.” she cut him off, trying to hear anything over the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears. “About them, I mean. I never actually told them about our arrangement. I think they’re just surprised is all. Except Snotlout. He-” She was cut off as Dagur pulled her into his chest, halting the rest of her comment with a kiss. She stiffened for just a moment before relaxing into it fully, her fingers climbing up his back. This time when his tongue danced across her lips she parted them eagerly, losing herself in his embrace. For several moments there was nothing more urgent or important than the feeling of being wrapped in his arms, the tickle of his beard on her cheek. Twice she broke away to gasp for air before diving back in, her mind blissfully hazy. The third time she refrained from recapturing his lips, opting instead to rest her head on his chest. She hummed in appreciation as his hands rubbed small circles on her back. “I’m glad you came back.”

Dagur chuckled and coaxed her to look up at him before brushing a few fly away strands of hair from her face. “Me too. Don’t worry about how they take it. I’ve spent too long thinking about this,” He gave her a gentle squeeze. “To let their jokes ruin it.”

Tengan smiled and nodded. “You're right.” She chewed her bottom lip as his earlier comment resurfaced in her mind. “Although there was one thing I wanted to talk about-”

“Are you guys ready!” Fishlegs’ voice echoed from outside the hut, accompanied by two distinct Gronckle cries. “Hiccup’s getting impatient!”

Tengan sighed, letting her head flop forward onto Dagur’s chest for a second before she slipped out of his embrace. “Yes! We’re coming!” She called back as she tightened Rumble’s saddle straps. “We’ll talk later. It’s not that pressing.” She smiled back at Dagur as he nodded and gave Rumble a quick scratch under the chin before jogging out to meet Shattermaster. His giddy cries of “Hey buddy! Did you miss Daddy?” brought a warm smile to her face.

In next to no time the Riders had mounted up and were following Dagur’s vague directions towards an island beyond the eastern most section of their typically patrolled territory. Tengan found herself smiling at their swelled ranks. There was comfort in knowing no less than eight fire breathing behemoths were ready to tear apart any potential threats.

“Oh, Hiccup!” Dagur called out from his position sandwiched between WIndshear and Rumble. “I almost forgot. Once you have Berk’s gold back I plan on taking some of Viggo’s for myself!”

“Dagur, you help us get Berk’s gold back and you can have the rest of it!” Hiccup called good naturedly over his shoulder. “Just out of curiosity, why do you need it?”

Dagur straightened in the saddle, his chest swelling with pride. “It’s not just for me. Heather will need it too! We’ll need it as we embark on an epic journey to reunite with our father and rebuild the Berserker tribe as a family!”

Tengan and Heather exchanged equally shocked and confused looks over Dagur’s head. In a clear attempt to diffuse the situation, Heather chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah right, brother. I think you’ve taken one too many to the head.” She cast a reassuring smile to Fishlegs as she finished.

Dagur’s smile fell as his expression hardened. “I’m serious, Heather. That’s why I’m here.”

Tengan’s heart dropped slightly as she listened in on the exchange. Her thoughts swirled as the formation fell into an uneasy silence for several minutes. After a while, she noticed Heather had nudged Windshear away from her brother and towards Astrid, leaving her and Dagur a small bubble of space. Taking a deep breath, she figured it was now or never to iron out some of her confusion. Going into battle distracted was never a good idea. “Hey, Dagur?” She called out just loud enough for the Berserker to hear. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything for you, baby.” He smiled back warmly, nudging Shattermaster closer to Rumble’s right side. 

Tengan found herself smiling as her stomach flipped at the nickname. “It’s about that, actually…”

Dagur stiffened. “Oh, do you not like that one? I don’t have to call you that. I’ve got a couple others I could-” 

She cut him off with a warm chuckle and a shake of her head, her messy curls bouncing everywhere. “No, the nickname is fine….” her voice dropped as her cheeks heated up. “I like it actually. I guess I’m just… confused?” She paused to reassess her current turmoil of thoughts and emotions. “Yes. I mean, I’m so happy you came back and that we’re trying to make this” She gestured between them, “work. I just don’t understand, I guess? You told me how happy you were to be here…. with me.”

“And I am!” Dagur interjected quickly, worry creeping onto his face. “Why? Do you think I’m not?”

“No!” Tengan assured him firmly. “I never thought that. It just all seems so fast. One kiss and you’re claiming I’m yours in front of all of our friends. And now I hear that you plan on leaving as soon as this mission is over?” She exhaled heavily, bringing up one hand to rub her face. “I just don’t know what to make of all this.”

Dagur cocked his head and stared for a moment, blinking owlishly. “Is it not obvious?” He asked after several seconds. “Tengan.” He started firmly, his eyes sparking. “I am overjoyed I could finally prove myself to you. And I don’t want to go. But I have to rebuild my family and the Berserker tribe if I ever want to be able to provide for all of us.”

Tengan jerked Rumble’s saddle so hard, the poor dragon flung his wings out in an emergency stop and growled, whipping his head about in search of the unseen threat. It took the frazzled Rider several moments to calm her Skrill down enough for him to rejoin the formation. Her eyes wide, she stared at the calm Berserker beside her. “Dagur, I’m sorry I must have misheard or misunderstood. It sounds like you’re saying-”

“That I want us joined in union, yes.” He smiled plainly, no hint of hesitation or embarrassment anywhere on his face.

Tengan’s jaw fell open as she felt her brain short circuit. It was rare she found herself at a loss for words and it seemed to be happening much too frequently today. “Dagur.” She began gently, pausing to further collect her scrambled thoughts. “This is happening way too fast. I mean, we only started courting today.”

Dagur shook his head firmly, the gentle smile fixed in place. “Technically we started a few months ago. You know before everyone thought I was dead for a while there. And, if we count that first kiss-”

“We are not!” Tengan’s voice rose in pitch and volume before she could wrestle it back to something somewhat normal. “And ok, let’s consider the moment on the cliffside our official start. That still only leaves a few months.” 

Dagur shrugged, undeterred. “That’s plenty of time for a Berserker. It’s not our way to beat around the bush. When we find something, or someone in this case, worth fighting for we go all out.” His eyes hardened with determination. “And, if I’m being honest with myself, this is something I’ve known I wanted for a long while. Years even. Even back when…..” His shoulders sagged a bit as he struggled to find the words.

“You didn’t know how to express yourself properly.” She gently suggested with a tender smile.

“See?! That’s exactly what I’m talking about!” He perked up, gesturing wildly towards her. “You’ve supported me when the others wanted to feed me to wild dragons. You helped me earn my way back into Heather’s life. You’re a damn good fighter, and you’ve managed to tame and train a Skrill for Thor’s sake! You’re perfect!” He asserted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Tengan sat quietly for a moment, slowly digesting his claims. If she had to admit to herself, it was nice to have someone find her attractive. While the Riders and Berkians had become accustomed to her darker skin and wild mane of hair, she was not ignorant of the open mouthed stares or hushed whispers that often followed when they visited a trade post or new island. “Thank you.” She eventually responded, a true sense of gratitude radiating through her. “But, I’m still not sure if this is something to be so hastily decided. I mean, yes we’ve known each other for years, but most of that time was spent in conflict. Yes, I know a bit about you and your tribe from that Treaty signing years ago but what do we really know about each other? What do you know about me?” She smiled softly. “Besides those compliments you just gave me.” She added upon seeing his indignant expression.

Dagur leaned towards the rear of his saddle, letting his head loll back on his neck as he looked towards the unbroken blue of the sky, deep in thought. After a moment, he shifted so he could sit comfortably in side saddle, his attention squarely on the girl atop the Skrill beside him. “Fair point. Well, we have the rest of this flight to talk. Tell me everything.”

Tengan blinked in surprise as she stared back at him. In all her years on Berk, no one had ever asked her to share her life story. She was the one who always asked, remembered, and recorded. “Oh. Well, I suppose I can start with my homeland…” It was difficult to think of things “interesting” enough to share at first. Dagur’s gentle questions made it easier and she soon found herself sharing the highlights of her life on the Shimmering Shores, the importance her people place on record keeping, and a thousand little details and anecdotes she never thought worth mentioning before. 

Dagur was the perfect audience. He laughed, full bellied, at any tale where Tengan had put her foot in her mouth or embarrassed herself as a young child. He asked engaging questions about her peoples customs, taking particular care when he managed to get her to elaborate on their union ceremonies and often just stared as she spoke, eyes wide with wonder and fascination. He only reluctantly broke away when Hiccup called them all into tighter formation as the island approached.

Tengan, surprised at how quickly the journey slipped by her, raked her eyes over the small, tree dotted landscape beneath them. The island appeared deserted, even as the Riders touched down among a cluster of ruins. Sliding out of Rumble’s saddle, she gently caressed the nearest stone pillar, amazed at how new it seemed despite having been abandoned for what must have been decades.

“Are you completely sure this is the right island?” Hiccup asked, exasperation creeping into his tone and posture as he rounded on Dagur.

“Yes, I’m sure!” Dagur asserted, his brow knitting in confusion. “But Viggo could have moved the gold. He can be slippery.” He glanced around quickly at their nearby surroundings, desperate to find anything out of the ordinary.

Hiccup nodded, deep in thought. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

Fishlegs slipped past the group to join Tengan at the nearest pillar. “Gold or no gold, this is an amazing find. Ancient vikings must have lived here!” He shoved Snotlout roughly out of the way as the shorter viking raised a fist to slam it into the stone. “Be careful! We’re here to find the gold, not to destroy history!”

Snotlout rolled his eyes but backed off all the same. “Relax, Fishface. If there was any gold here Viggo’s men would be crawling all over.”

Tengan hummed, deep in thought as she glanced at their surroundings. “Perhaps, perhaps not. Why draw attention to something you don’t want found?” Catching sight of an odd cluster of leaves, she walked over and crouched down, brushing them aside to reveal a deep set of wagon wheel tracks. “Case in point.” She smiled back at the group, gesturing towards her find.

“Good eyes.” Hiccup complimented before he and Toothless took their usual spot at the head of the group. “Let’s follow these and see where they lead. Everyone on high alert.”

The group started off after the tracks, making a point to stay silent and to travel on foot with their dragons crawling behind them. Several times a twig snapped or a rabbit rustled the underbrush, causing the Riders to flinch or freeze. On each of these occasions, Dagur flinched an arm out towards Tengan as the other went for his axe.

On the third motion, Tengan whispered into his ear. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I can handle a few rabbits on my own, thank you.” She smiled gently at his bashful expression before giving his shoulder a small squeeze.

Before long, the group found the trail ended before a couple of large structures covered in tarps camouflaged by loose leaves and dirt. “Expect the unexpected.” Hiccup murmured with a begrudgingly impressed nod before yanking the covers off. Underneath sat two large, Gronckle Iron sheds, their doors securely shut and locked.

Dagur was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he sidled up in between Tengan and Heather. “We’re so close! I can feel it! Sister, after we get the gold, our real journey begins!” He pulled the dark haired girl into a quick side hug before approaching the shack.

Tengan caught a quick glimpse of Heather’s downcast expression and felt a pang of guilt. As the others were distracted by the twins' attempts to sniff out any potential booby traps, she sidled up to the downtrodden Rider. “Hey, so Dagur seems pretty insistent that you’ll leave with him after today.”

Heather folded her arms, her expression dark. “I know. But does he ever ask me what my plans are? Nope! He just comes in and out of my life like a hurricane and expects me to be alright with all of this!”

Tengan nodded as she listened. “That about sums up your brother. The way he talks about it, it’s like he’s had this grand scheme of how to rebuild your tribe planned out for years.”

Heather exhaled forcefully, casting her friend a side glance. “Oh, is that what you two were talking about? How he’s got my whole life planned out for me?”

Tengan held her hands up in surrender and bit her bottom lip, unsure of how to explain their previous conversation. “No, not at all. I mean he told me a bit about it but…” She sighed before opting for the direct approach. “He mainly brought it up to me because he has this grand notion that once he’s reestablished the Berserkers we’ll be joined in union.” She dropped her voice so only the other girl could hear.

“What?!” Heather whispered harshly, turning sharply to face her friend. “It’s only been a day!”

Tengan rolled her eyes, folding her arms as well. “I tried telling him that. But if you ask him, he’s been pining and attempting to court for years. Shame no one ever told me.” She chuckled dryly.

Heather joined her in hushed laughter, her shoulders relaxing. “So, what did you tell him? Are you going to be my new sister?” She teased, batting her eyelashes.

Tengan gave her shoulder a light shove. “Oh, knock it off. And, to be honest, I haven’t answered him one way or another. It’s a choice that will change my life so I will let him know what I decide when I’ve figured it out for myself.” She stared pointedly at Heather.

“Do all of our conversations have to end with you giving me sound life advice?” She groaned, drawing her hand down over her eyes.

“Only when you’re having a particularly sulky day.” Tenan teased back. Their attention was drawn back to the task at hand as Toothless’ blast echoed dully against the apparently dragon-proof door.

“Oh, what the-” Hiccup groaned at the still standing shack. “It must be reinforced. It’s going to take a lot more to get through.”

“You tried it your way, Hiccup!” Dagur called out, a playful smirk on his face. “Now it’s time to do it Berserker style!” He smiled over his shoulder, making sure Tengan and Heather were paying attention. “Right, sister?”

“Berserker style?” Heather cocked her head in mild confusion. “You mean do something crazy?” She asked, her voice dripping in skepticism.

“No!” Dagur sighed, approaching the two women. “Everyone always thinks Berserker means crazy! But what it really means is going full speed, all out, all the time! Total commitment to your Berserker brothers and sisters.” His smile widened as he briefly locked eyes with Tengan. “So, if any of you want to know what Berserker style really is, look closely!” He whistled as he sidestepped, creating a path for his dragon. “Show them our new move, Shattermaster!” He turned to face the first of the sheds, a wicked grin on his face. “Shatter Scatter!” He called out, pointing towards the stubborn metal door. As the Gronckle took to the air, he let out a long, rising and falling cry that seemed to embody all of his chaotic energy into a single shout.

The Gronkly, clearly understanding the yell as some sort of signal, began somersaulting wildly before launching himself at the armored door tail first. The resounding clang that echoed through the clearing forced a flinch out of nearly all of the gathered Riders as several stumbled form the shock wave of the blow.

“Not so dragon-proof anymore!” Dagur cheered as he reached out to steady to stumbling Heather. “Bravo, Shattermaster!” He released his sister’s arm as she regained her balance. “That’s what you call a Berserker battle cry.” He explained, eyes sparkling. “It comes from deep within, understand?” He gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. “You’ll get it.” He shifted his attention to Tengan, his smile widening. 

Tengan gave him a small smile back. “Remind me to add that to my scroll on the Berserker tribe later. I never heard about the battle cry.”

Dagur nodded enthusiastically. “Sure! You should start practicing yours as well.” He swept past the two and towards his Gronckle, grinning all the while.

Tengan briefly locked eyes with Heather before they followed, peering over Astrid and Hiccup’s shoulder into the now accessible storage unit.

“Empty!” Astrid groaned. “I guess we’re too late. Viggo must have moved the gold.”

“Nothing about this makes any sense!” Hiccup all but growled as he stepped into the featureless metal shed. “No guards? No booby traps?” He turned and stormed back out, squeezing past the girls.

“I know that look.” Astrid called out after him. “What are you thinking?”

Hiccup crouched in the dirt near the sheds, his eyes trained on the several sets of wagon tracks leading to and from the clearing. “I’m thinking that the carts came in from that direction and left going the other way. From the depths of the tracks it seems that the wagons were empty when they left. The gold must have been brought in on the wagons and carried out by hand!” He straightened quickly. “The storehouses must be a decoy. The gold to be somewhere else on the island.”

“In that case we should split up.” Dagur chimed in. “Cover more ground. Viggo and his men could show up any time. The Berserkers will search the north, and the Dragon Riders will search the south.” As he spoke, he slipped a loose arm around Tengan’s waist, a silent declaration to the group as to exactly which title he felt she belonged under.

Fishlegs’ brow furrowed as he quickly looked between Dagur and Heather. “Wait! I should go with them too.”

Hiccup glanced between Dagur’s hold on Tengan and Fishlegs’ pained gazes at Heather before nodding once. “Ok. That gives us a relatively even split if you take those two with you.” He shook his head, clearly not interested in pressing the matter at the moment. “Stay on the ground, send up a signal if you see anything unusual.”

Dagur grinned and gave Tengan’s waist a squeeze before releasing her to nudge Heather forward. “Comeon! While we’re searching for the gold, we can all discuss our future!”

Tengan paused long enough to shoot a rather dark glare at the twins and Snotlout, who were busy miming exaggerated kisses towards her, before following. Tapping her cheeks lightly in an attempt to encourage the blood to flow somewhere else for a change, she sidled up alongside Fishlegs. One glance at the Rider told her he was not handling Dagur’s assertions as well as Heather was. “You holding up alright?” She murmured.

“I’m surprised you noticed.” He shot back with uncharacteristic malice. Catching her shocked and hurt expression, he deflated a bit. “I’m sorry. You didn’t do anything. It’s just, how can he come in here and just assume she’s going to leave with him! Heather already has a home and a family with me, I mean, us!”

Tengan gave him a small smile and a quick pat on the shoulder. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure all four dragons were still close by before continuing. “If it helps, Heather said much of the same when I asked her earlier. Whether she goes or stays, I think she knows just how important she is to you.”

Fishlegs’ face lit up for a moment, his hands slackening from stiff, clenched fists to something a bit more natural. “Yeah, she knows I, I mean we, will always be there for her.” After a moment, a teasing smile grew. “And how about you? Dagur was making some pretty bold claims on the flight over.”

“You heard that!?” Tengan jumped, her eyes widening.

Fishlegs laughed quietly. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell the others. So, are you going to do it? Become the Berserker chieftess?” He taunted.

“Oh, har har.” Tengan spat back. “This is the last time I give you courting advice.” She sighed, crossing her arms for a moment. “But to answer your question, as of now, no. But if you ask him-” she gestured towards the siblings quietly speaking several paces ahead. “He thinks the moment the Berserkers are rebuilt we’ll be joined.”

“Woah, Dagur! Slow down!” Heather suddenly called out a bit louder than usual as she came to a dead stop in a small clearing. “You barge into my life like a Cavern Crasher ramped up on dragon nip and just unload all these grand ideas!” She finished, her breathing slightly ragged.

Dagur stopped as well, a pained expression on his face. “I’ve been out there, Heather. Living and surviving on my own. It’s a lonely, desolate existence. When I realized how hard it must have been for you, all those years, alone, I knew I had to make it right.” He gave her a small, hopeful smile. “I mean sure, I have Shattermaster, you have WIndshear, but it’s not the same thing as having your family. Your fellow Berserkers.”

Heather’s glare darkened as her voice hardened. “Maybe you should have thought about that before you set me adrift.”

Dagur stood quietly for several seconds before carefully approaching. “I don’t know how you’ll ever forgive me, Heather. But not a day goes by that I don’t wish I could take that back. I was young and foolish. But, I want to make it right. Once and for all. This is my chance, our chance to rebuild the Berserker tribe. I want to give you the family you deserve, sister. Just think it about it. It’s time to go home, sis.” He gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before backing off to search down a small boar trail.

Tengan, undeniably impressed with his words, gave Fishlegs a quick nudge. “Go talk to her.” She nodded at the nervous teen before picking her way through the narrow trail after Dagur. She found him several yards down the path, leaning against a tree as if waiting for her. “That was some speech.” She started as she leaned against an opposing tree. “I have to say you’ve learned well when it comes to giving her space.”

“And I have you to thank for that.” He smiled and inclined his head. “And it wasn’t just a speech. I want to rebuild our people to give her the family I denied her years ago. Once that happens I’ll finally be able to bring you home with me too.” He stepped forward, taking her hands in his much larger ones.

“Dagur.” Tengan warned as she fought to ignore the knot of twisting eels in her stomach. “I already said I can’t promise that will happen. This is still too new. Besides, the Riders need me right now.”

Dagur’s grip on her hands tightened slightly. “And what happens after they are done with Viggo? You told me your people usually go off on new missions or return home to guard the library. I know you well enough to know you’d never want to take up your mother’s duties. So why can’t your next adventure be with me?”

Tengan exhaled slowly, losing herself in the deep green of his eyes. “Honestly? There’s nothing stopping me. I-” She hesitated. “I just need more time to think about this. Heather was right about one thing. You quite literally fell out of the sky with all these grand ideas. You may have had weeks and months to think it through but I haven’t. I’m just not as sure about this as you are, alright?” She pleaded softly.

Dagur let his hands slide to her hips as he tugged her into him. “That’s fine for now. Just let Daddy Dagur be sure enough for the both of us.” He chuckled at the cornered rabbit expression on her face before dipping his head to catch her lips.

Tengan immediately melted into the kiss, any arguments she had sliding away towards the back of her mind. The rustle of nearby branches from a gentle breeze brought her back to reality. Breaking away, she blinked several times. “Curse you, Dagur of the Berserker tribe. My answer is still no for the time being but you make it difficult to argue.” Before he could try anything else she spun on her heel and stalked back down the path, hyper aware of the thundering footfalls and deep chuckle behind her. As she rounded the last corner, she nearly bounced off of Rumble’s snout.

The Skrill had forced his head as deep into the thicket as he possibly could, his lips curled into a deep snarl as he thrashed against the trunks. Long, deep gashes marred the bark, an indicator he had been at it for some time.

Tengan stifled a giggle as she guided her dragon’s head out from between the trees. “I’m sorry, Rumble. I should have told you I’d be right back.” She cooed, reaching under his chin to get at one of his preferred spots.

Dagur smiled and gave the Skrill a rough pat on the shoulder. “She was safe with me, I promise.” He chuckled. “Any sign of the gold?” He called over to Fishlegs and Heather. He cocked an amused eyebrow as the pair jumped apart. “Looks like we weren’t the only ones who took advantage of some alone time.” He murmured just loud enough to reach Tengan’s ears.

She immediately swatted his upper arm, mildly surprised as the lack of give in the toned appendage. “You leave your sister alone. Fishlegs has been really good to her.” She hissed. Her pout morphed into a smile as she raised her voice to carry to the embarrassed pair. “Now come on, all of you. We’ve wasted enough time as it is. Let’s find that gold.”

Their search continued in somewhat comfortable silence for a while, with the four subconsciously splitting off into their respective couples. Tengan had been carefully balancing on Dagur’s shoulders in an effort to glimpse in a small cave embedded on a steep cliff when all four dragon’s whipped their heads towards the south. In unison their lips curled and a chorus of growls filled the clearing.

“Something’s wrong.” Heather stated darkly as she scrambled into Windshear’s saddle. “ I know Hiccup said to stay on the ground but we need to get moving.”

“We’ll stay below the treeline then.” Fishlegs asserted as he swung over Meatlug’s back.

Tegnan hopped off of Dagur, letting her knees buckle slightly on impact to maintain her balance. “That’s going to take a while. Windshear and Rumble are agile but their wingspans are much larger than Shattermaster and Meatlug’s.”

Dagur rolled his shoulders, reaching up to rub the spot where Tengan’s heel had dug in. “Then you two can follow us. We’ll pick out the paths. Just stay close on our tails.” He grinned over at the young women as he climbed atop his dragon. “Unless you think you can’t keep up. Gronckles are masters at maneuvering after all.”

Tengan rolled her eyes as she settled in the saddle. “Save your teasing for after we’ve gotten the others out of whatever mess they’re in.”

The four sped through the trees as quickly and quietly as they could. Several times Windshear or Rumble had to land and take several running steps before the trees cleared enough to allow them passage. By the time the group retraced their steps back to the cliff side, they were only able to watch as a small army of Hunters loaded cages containing the other Riders and their dragons onto the lead ship of a waiting fleet.

“Hmm…” Dagur mused as the small group, now dismounted, crept up to a section of cliff side hidden in dense bushes. “Hiccup was never that easy to capture when I was chasing him.”

Heather produced a spyglass from her satchel and slammed it hastily to her eye. “Viggo!” She cursed after sweeping her gaze across the ship’s deck. “This isn't good.” She pulled her attention away from the ship and to her friends. “We can’t just sit here. We need to rescue them. Now! Before Viggo disappears!”

“We should save them Berserker style!” Dagur piped up, thudding his fist against his palm. “I have the perfect plan!”

“No!” Fishlegs cut across him immediately. “Dragon Riders rescue Dragon Riders.” He turned to Heather, his eyes pleading. “I have known Hiccup my whole life. He’s my best friend, Dagur. Whenever I have needed him, he’s been there for me. And now he needs me.” He gently grasped Heather’s free hand. “We are doing this my way.”

Dagur sniffled, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “That was beautiful, man. Just, beautiful.”

Tengan blinked twice in surprise; both at her friend’s atypical level of assertion and her suitor’s teary display. “Ok, Fishlegs.” She soothed as she placed a steadying hand on Dagur’s forearm. “What did you have in mind?”

Fishlegs nodded once, his eyes crackling with determination. “Heather and Dagur will dispose of the flanking ships while Tengan and I go after the main vessel. Everyone got it?” He waited until each of the others nodded in response. “Then mount up!”

Tengan tightened her grip on Rumble’s saddle as they closed the gap between their small formation and the fleeing ships. “Ok boy. Stay close to Meatlug and be ready to dive.” She murmured in her dragon’s ear. She quickly glanced at the Berserkers, smiling slightly to herself as she caught a glimpse of Dagur meditating in the saddle, before fixing her gaze on Fishlegs. As the scholarly Rider dove towards their target, she urged Rumble forward, pressing herself flat in the saddle as he followed. “Now Rumble!” She tapped her heels into his side twice, barely slamming her eyes shut in time as the Skrill unloaded a surge of lightning over the deck. The anguished cries rising above the waves confirmed they had hit their mark. She urged the dragon to move a safe distance away before turning to survey the damage. Her eyes widened in shock as she spied several intact sections of deck where Meatlug had definitely landed a direct hit with her lava blast. “No way!” She yelled to Fishlegs. “Don’t tell me they have-”

“Dragon proof ships!” He hollered back, his voice straining as he stared at the exposed metal hull of the vessel. “Regroup! Now!” He yelled to the others.

“Ok, that didn’t work.” Dagur called out as the four dragons circled well above arrow range. “Does anyone else have any thoughts? You know, any that I might have mentioned earlier?”

Heather bit her bottom lip, staring down helplessly at the fleet. “Fishlegs. I think maybe we should try it my brother’s way.”

“I agree.” Tengan cut in as Fishlegs opened his mouth. “We don’t have time to argue. If it doesn’t work we can retreat and regroup again but for now it’s our only hope for saving them. Besides,” she smiled across at the red head. “Dagur’s a war chief. He knows what he’s doing.”

Dagur’s chest swelled with pride. “YEAH!” He roared, eyes burning. “Berserker style!” Laughing madly, he pointed to Windshear. “Heather, scoot up! You and I are going to do the ultimate Shatter Scatter!” He leapt from his Gronckle’s back, barely avoiding the Razorwhip’s spines as he landed in the saddle behind his sister. 

Tengan hovered in the air next to Fishlegs, watching in anxious fascination as Shattermaster curled into a tight ball and allowed Windshear to scoop him up with her long tail. “If this works I’ll have one hell of a story to record.” She called over to Fishlegs.

“I just hope it gives them enough time to escape.” Fishlegs called back as he nervously wrung his hands.

Tengan’s mouth dropped as Windshear whipped Shattermaster towards the ships and the Gronckle, somehow, miraculously, pierced the hulls of ships, one after the other. “He actually did it!” She cheered as the damaged vessels began to take on water. 

Within moments, four dragons appeared from one of the holes in the largest ship and fought to rapidly climb towards the others.

Yelling an ecstatic greeting towards her newly freed friends, Tenagn grinned broadly at the cheering Berserker siblings. The smile slipped from her face as she caught sight of Fishlegs’ downtrodden expression.

“She’s really going to leave isn’t she?” He moaned, his eyes glued to Meatlugs’ ears.

Tengan’s heart seized at the sight of her miserable friend. She gleaned back at Heather and Dagur, willing herself not to think about when the next time their paths would cross and whether or not Dagur’s insistence on their future would be just as strong then as it is now. “Looks like it.” She sighed. 

“Nice work gang!” Hiccup cheered as he and Toothless joined the throng. “Let’s head back to the island! I think I know where Viggo’s been hiding the gold.”

The newly reunited flock of dragons winged their way quickly back to the shore, their riders grinning as the desperate cries of the Hunters attempting to stabilize their ships faded. Following Hiccup’s lead, they landed in the center of the ancient structures they came across earlier that day. 

“How did you figure out where the gold is?” Astrid asked as she slid from Stormfly’s back. 

“A few things tipped me off.” Hiccup called over his shoulder as he walked along the ruins. “First, the tracks leading to the store house didn’t make sense. Then, the Hunters we came across had shovels and pickaxes like they were building something. Ultimately, Viggo gave it away himself when he was questioning me. He had a mask behind his desk of the island. There were no markings for the ruins on there. Tengan, remember the observation you made? About how new the structures looked?” He knocked on the nearest pillar.

“No….” The curly haired Rider gasped. “You’re not saying what I think you are.”

“Let’s take a look.” Hiccup smirked. “Hit it, bud!” He pointed to the nearest pillar and took a step back as Toothless unleashed two small plasma blasts. As the dust settled, he grinned as glittering gold laid exposed where the blasts had struck the rock.

With ear splitting cheers, the Riders kicked into gear. Utilizing their dragons, they quickly disassembled the structures into workable nuggets and chunks. Even with their saddlebags bulging, they still had to suspend a discarded Hunter net between Hookfang and Barf and Belch to carry the rest.

Tengan straighted after a while, pressing the heels of her palms into her lower back to alleviate a cramp. She glanced around at the others, torn between the giddiness radiating off of them and the hollow feeling that had been creeping into her chest. Her eyes landed on Fishlegs and Heather, who were taking a moment to speak privately off to the side.

“It won’t take too long.” Dagur spoke quietly as he approached. “I know of a shifty trader off of the Northern Markets who has a few ships available and leads as to where most of my people went.”

Tengan nodded, her throat tightening. “You know, my life would have been much simpler if I had just taken the boats to the deep south and completed my two years with the traders down there.” She gave him a small, strained smile.

Dagur laughed and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her. “You’d have hated how boring it was. It’s why you’ll make a great Berserker.” He gave her a gentle squeeze.

Tengan chuckled, the sound broken. “I still haven’t agreed to that, you know.” She slid her hand up to his chest, relaxing into the embrace.

He chuckled and planted a kiss in the wild tangle of hair. “Hey, what can I say. Berserkers go big or… no that’s it. We just go big.”

She giggled weakly, leaning away just enough to tilt her head back and look her Berserker suitor in the eyes. “You really are serious about this, aren’t you?”

Dagur nodded once, his face set. “Always was. I know you need time to think this all over. And I’m willing to wait. Just promise me you will?” He cupped her chin with gentle, calloused fingers. “Really think it over and give me a chance to show you what I’ve built when it's ready.”

She smiled deeply, taking a moment to just enjoy being safely wrapped in his arms. “I look forward to seeing how you rebuild the glory of the Berserker tribe. And... I will give your proposal serious thought.” She stood on her toes to plant a short, chaste kiss on his lips.

Dagur’s face broke into an unrestrained grin. A booming, joyus laugh erupting from his chest as he lifted Tengan off her feet and spun her in tight circles for the second time that day. “Oh, thank you!” His laugh died away as he slowed and gently placed her back on the ground. His smile had become slightly strained. “I’ll be back soon.” He murmured, determination flooding his words.

Tengan, still slightly winded from the spin, smiled back as she fought the tightness in her chest. “You better be.” She slowly, reluctantly, removed herself from his embrace. “Better go get your sister before she changes her mind.”

Dagur bent and planted a final, soft kiss on her forehead before turning away to approach Heather and Fishlegs.

Tengan stood, not trusting her legs to support her if she moved, as she watched Dagur clasp arms with Fishlegs before the siblings mounted their dragons. She hardly noticed the others walking up to stand by her side.

“Be safe out there!” Astrid called out, a sad smile tugging at her lips.

“Let us know if you find Oswald.” Hiccup added as he placed an arm over Astrid’s shoulders.

Heather sat still for a long moment, her eyes moving from one Rider to the next as if she were trying to cram a lifetime of meaning into each glance. “Thank you all. For everything.” She eventually managed to force out before coaxing Windshear into the air.

Dagur smiled back at the group, although his eyes never left Tengan’s. “Until we meet again!” He hollered cheerfully as Shattermaster took off after the Razorwhip.

For what felt like a long while, although it couldn’t have been more than a couple minutes, the Riders stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the Berserkers fade into the sunset. Their dragons, sensing the shift in their partners, cried out in a unified, roarous farewell as Heather and Dagur became specks in the distance.

Hiccup stirred first, letting his arm slide from Astrid’s shoulders. Clearing his throat, he shifted his weight uncomfortably. “So…. Tengan? You and Dagur? Did I, um, did I miss something these past few years? Want to let us in on it?”

Tengan burst into a short fit of laughter at the look of utter confusion on Hiccup’s face. Wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, she straightened before taking a deep, steadying breath. “Not really. Let’s just say he and I made an agreement a while back and he’s more than upheld his end of the bargain.”

Astrid, catching the look on Hiccup’s face, elbowed him sharply. “Fair enough.” She shot him a harsh look before turning back to the clearing. “Let’s focus on getting this gold out of here. I don’t want to be within a few miles of this place once he realizes we found his hiding place.”


	21. An Island at War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So this chapter is the longest I’ve done so far. On the word processor I use to write out the initial drafts it’s roughly twenty four pages. And that's before the extra spaces I put between paragraphs to help break them up a bit. I considered breaking it up into two but couldn’t find a good place to split it. Struggled a bit with writer’s block here too. Please forgive me if the wording seems a little off. Once again thank you for taking the time to read Tengan’s journey. She’s a character I’ve kept in my head for years and it’s lovely knowing other people enjoy learning more about her.

“Ruffnut! Tuffnut! Eyes up. Barf and Belch are starting to drift!” Hiccup called out sternly. With a gentle nudge, he encouraged Toothless to loop around to hover above and behind the offending Zippleback.

“It’s not our fault!” Ruffnut called back as she gave a stern tug on her dragon’s horns. “They’re tired!”

“Gee, I wonder why.” Tuffnut added as he lightly tapped his dragon’s cheeks. “Couldn’t be all those extra training drills, could it?” 

Tengan smiled sleepily at her flustered friends as she stifled a yawn. The last few weeks had seemed longer than usual. Between the hatching of a new Eruptodon on Caldera Cay and the twins unintentionally uncovering “Project Shell Shocker”, a new plan of the Dragon Hunters, the Riders had been on high alert. Shifting in the saddle, she reached down to give Rumble a pat as he nearly vibrated with excitable energy. To top off all the chaos, freak lightning storms had been touching down on the Edge every few days. Rumble had been absorbing and deflecting more blasts than he knew what to do with. The excess of stored power seemed to be resolving itself into manic energy. At least one of them would be able to stay awake on the long flight to Berk.

Leaning forward in the saddle, Tengan let her eyes droop as she flexed the muscle cramps out of her hands. Every spare minute she hadn’t been eating or sleeping had been dedicated to catching up on her records and narrations of the group’s recent events. Dagur’s thoughtful and generous return of her work had lit a new fire within her. She had spent the first couple days after their return rereading all the passages she thought lost and berating herself for falling out of practice. Every day after saw her hunched at her desk, a quill or charcoal pencil in hand and eyes glued to seemingly endless rolls of parchment.

Only a couple things seemed to be able to pull her away from her work in those moments. The more common of the two occurred nearly every other day, when Rumble had decided his Rider had not been paying him enough attention and all but dragged her outside so they could fly or hunt together. The other, less common but certainly no less welcome distraction would be when a Terrible Terror landed at the base with a scroll tied to its leg, heralding a letter from Dagur. 

She had learned to be quick about recovering the notes. The first one had been halfway unrolled by Snotlout and the twins before Astrid had intercepted them. From the bumps the three displayed in the following days, she had not been too gentle with her reprimand.

Each new note brought heat rushing to Tengan’s face and sent the eels in her stomach jumping and twisting. Through their correspondence, she learned the siblings had been able to, with astonishing speed, track down and coax back over seventy percent of the lost Berserkers. Apparently, Dagur had not been the only one to share the sentiment that they were strongest and happiest when working as a tribe. His letters were always warm and excited as he detailed the newest building they had constructed or how he had been utilizing his reformed mindset to lead them more effectively. He always closed them with a combination of the same few sentences: I can’t wait for you to see it. You’re going to love it here. I’ll have you by my side soon, baby. Just a little longer, I promise.

Tengan’s replies were always the same. She’d express joy that he and Heather were coming along so well. She’d ask about their dragons and pass on any new or interesting pieces of knowledge she had picked up since their last correspondence. Her closing would always be a variation of the same: I still don’t have an answer, but I have been thinking about it. I miss you. Can’t wait to see what you’ve built.

Each of his notes were stacked in order of arrival, bundled with the short goodbye note he had left behind months ago, and were safely stored in a boar leather satchel under her bed. Each time they would write back and forth, the teasing would ramp up again for a few hours before Astrid or Hiccup shut it down. Fishlegs, who had also been in constant contact with Heather, was the only one who refrained from asking her about the letters as they came in. They both respected the private nature of their correspondences and had an unspoken pact to warn the other when it looked like the resident pranksters seemed especially shifty.

“It’ll be nice to be back on Berk!” Tengan called out to Astrid as she mentally dragged herself to the present. “It’s been a while since we flew any missions with the A team. Although, from what I hear they’re holding down the fort pretty well!”

Astrid smiled as she coaxed Stormfly to close a bit of the gap between her and Rumble. “Yeah, they’ve been adequate so far.” She winked as her grin widened. “I hope they’ve been practicing! I am not going to go easy on them during the practice run.”

“I’m sure they’ve all kept up with their drills. Gustav wouldn’t miss this opportunity to show off his leadership skills.” Tengan yawned, stretching her arms above her head. “It’ll be nice to see your parents again, too. We haven’t had a chance to catch up in ages.”

“PUH-LEASE” Snotlout hollered as Hookfang barreled in-between the two young women. “We all know the real reason you’re soooo eager to get to Berk, Tengan.” He smirked and brought his hands up to clasp over his heart. “You just can’t wait to get your arms around your precious little boy-toy again!” He blew several loud kisses into the air.

Tengan blushed and glared at Snotlout, her eyes dark. “Will you give it a rest already! It was funny a month ago but now it’s just annoying!”

“Oh, it will always be funny as long as you keep making that face!” Snotlout pointed towards the dark skinned rider and laughed, is chest heaving with the effort. His laughter morphed into a panicked yell as Hookfang promptly flipped upside down for several wingbeats, causing the teen to scramble to find any handholds he could reach on the dragon’s neck. “HOOKFANG!”

Tengan found herself roaring with laughter as she clutched her sides. “See! Even Hookfang finds it tiresome now!” She grinned across at Astrid, who was also incapacitated with her own giggle-fit.

“Will you all knock it off!” Hiccup called out as Toothless rose up from behind the trio. “We’re almost there and we need to keep an eye out. Viggo could have men stationed anywhere along our usual routes to Berk. I need you all to stay sharp.” His exhausted glare softened a bit. “Astrid? Would you mind joining me up front? Tengan, you and Rumble can stay where you are. And, Snotlout?” He sighed as the Monstrous Nightmare finally righted itself. “Just, cover the rear, ok?”

Tengan had the decency to bow her head in mock shame as the Riders rearranged their formation for the final stretch of the journey. She quickly found her energy rising with each of Rumble’s wingbeats and was soon eagerly craning her neck to catch a glimpse of the island. If she was being honest with herself, Snotlout hadn’t been entirely wrong. The moment the Riders had decided to invite Heather and Dagur along for the mission, she had sent a hastily written note to Berserker Isle asking if the pair would be willing to meet on Berk to discuss a new mission. His reply had come the very next day and seemed to be written just as hastily: We’ll be there.

Ever since then she had been emotionally flip flopping between wanting to see him and feeling utterly terrified at the thought. What if he expected her answer already? She had said she would give him one once the tribe had been rebuilt. What if they were done now? How could she possibly tell him her decision when she got dizzy every time she thought about it for more than a few moments?

Realistically, she mused, accepting the proposal made the most sense. He was a passionate, considerate, and determined suitor who made a point to understand her culture and would gladly accompany her on adventures for the rest of their days. But, what if, once they spent any significant amount of domestic time together, they simply weren’t compatible? She could always mimic her parents’ choices. It would be simple enough to keep traveling and only see Dagur every few months if they grew tired of one another. Clutching the saddle tightly, she shook her head quickly, as if the action could physically dislodge the troublesome idea. “No.” She mumbled to the loose stitch on the front of Rumble’s saddle. While she would always be a daughter of the Shimmering Shores, she knew she wanted a life closer to what she had seen during her time on Berk. Partners waking up next to each other every morning and present in all the early moments of their children’s lives. “I don’t even know if he wants children.” She gasped softly to herself as she began picking at the loose stitch, well aware she’d only be making it worse in the long run.

“Finally!” Snotlout’s relieved cry carried over the group. “I’ve been nursing a saddle sore back here!” Breaking formation, he urged Hookfang forward in a steep dive towards the island.

“Snotlout!” Hiccup roared. “Would it have killed you to wait five more minutes?”

“YES!” The Jorgenson’s indignant shout barely reached the others as he quickly made his way out of earshot.

Hiccup groaned before twisting in the saddle to face the others. “Might as well break off here. Take an hour to land and take care of your dragons before we meet at the Great Hall. I’m going to get with the A team and-”

The rest of his sentence was lost as the team, minus Astrid, whooped and scattered to the four winds. Tengan, gripping tightly to one of Rumble’s neck spines, grinned as he corkscrewed through the air as they made their way over the docks. “Why don’t we head to the stables? I’m sure we can get you a bucket of fish before the meeting.” Angling slightly away from the center of town, she scanned the ground below for one particular Gronckle. Her heart sinking slightly at his absence, she resolved herself to being the first of their pair to make it and decided to dedicate the hour to feeding and grooming her Skrill. As they swooped in the open gate for a landing, she barely had time to slide out of the saddle before a booming voice reached her ears. 

“There she is!” Dagur all bur roared as he quickly strode across the arena. With one deft movement swept her into his arms and lifted her off the ground, his laugh bouncing off the stone walls.

Tengan’s excitement bubbled over as she felt her feet leave the ground. All doubts and concerns momentarily evaporated as she giggled into the embrace. “Are you going to pick me up every time I see you?” She teased lightly.

“I can’t help it!” Dagur grinned down at her. “I’m just so happy to see you. In fact….” His voice dropped into a low, almost husky tone as he trailed off. Shifting her in his arms so her feet could touch solid ground once more, he crashed his lips into hers as one of his hands slid up to cup her cheek.

Tengan’s eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into the kiss, her own hands coming up to drape over his shoulders. She panted lightly as they broke away. “I’ve missed you.” She smiled warmly, her voice soft. She tried to ask when he landed but found herself being tugged out of his arms by the back of her shirt. Twisting around to face the culprit, she laughed as Shattermaster continued to pull her away from his rider. “It’s good to see you too!” She beamed as she gently freed her tunic from the Gronckle’s jaws. A quick glance over her shoulder revealed Rumble was busy greeting Dagur in a similar fashion.

“Maybe they’re just tired of seeing their riders act like love sick lambs.” Heather’s teasing tone floated over as she approached the pair, Windshear in tow. “Good to see you, Tengan. Maybe now my brother will finally shut up about you for fifteen minutes.”

Tengan felt the heat rise to her face as she glanced over to the Berserker chief currently playfully wrestling with her Skrill. Shrugging her shoulders mildly she let her fingers tickle behind Shattermaster’s ears. “I’m not so sure about that. I haven’t had a conversation with Fishlegs that hasn’t turned into him gushing about you in weeks. Maybe it’s a guy thing?” She winked.

Heather blinked in surprise, a blush creeping up her neck. With a light giggle she shook her head. “Boys.” She sighed.

“Boys.” Tengan agreed with a chuckle of her own. “When did you guys get here? I could have sworn we were going to beat you.” She adjusted her fingers so she could scratch along Shattermaster’s spine, smiling as the dragon arched into the contact.

Heather gestured behind her to Windshear’s saddle. “We needed to make sure our gear was in top condition for this mission. Gobber offered to update my saddle and craft one for my brother. He’s the only one on the archipelago we trust to make them.”

Tengan nodded. “He does have a knack for it. I was thinking of asking him to look at mine when we got back. Some of the stitching has come- ahh!” she squealed and jumped forward as two hands lightly caressed her sides. 

“Oops!” Dagur chuckled as he stepped towards her again, this time taking care to place his hands on her hips. “Didn’t realize you were so ticklish.” His voice dropped as his hands began to trail upwards again.

“Oh no you two don’t!” Heather teased. “Not while I’m here!” With a shake of her head she slipped back into Windshear’s saddle. “I’ll meet you guys at the Great Hall!”

“Fishlegs will probably be there now too!” Tengan called back cheerfully as the Razorwhip charged out of the gate before taking off. Glancing around at the Academy, she made sure they were alone, save the half dozen or so dragons snoozing in their stalls, before turning her attention to the man standing beside her. “We have an hour until anyone expects us at the Hall. Why don’t you tell me how things are going back home while we walk back into town? I need to stretch my legs after flying for so long.”

The pair settled their dragons in the last free stall, making sure to stock the feeding troughs with a surplus of fish for Rumble and assorted stones for Shattermaster. Tengan slung an overstuffed bag full of maps and detailed plans for the meeting over her shoulder, and the pair made their way out of the arena, back towards the center of Berk. 

Dagur, after failing twice to relieve her of her bag, settled on alternating between holding onto her free hand and gesturing broadly as he proudly recounted the rebuilding of Berserker Isle. “I can’t wait to show you. The Great Hall is almost done, and Heather and I have finally figured out the layout for our houses. It took a while since, originally the stables were going to be a lot closer to the village center, but it’s all coming together!” He grinned down at the curly haired young woman beside him. “We should be ready in a couple weeks.” He stopped and turned to give her his full attention. “I’m having a small library added to my hut.” He spoke slowly and softly, his tone serious. “Nothing as grand as what you’ve told me you have back on the Shimmering Shores but… Have you thought about it? At all?”

Tengan stopped as well, her brow furrowing as her previous doubts resurfaced. She chewed on her bottom lip and stared at the dirt between the stones on the path. “I have been thinking it over. Nonstop on some days. There were actually a couple of questions I wanted to ask you.” She glanced around nervously as she double and triple checked they were alone.

Dagur gently cupped her cheek, tilting her face upwards to catch her eye. “Anything.” 

Tengan sighed, momentarily distracted by the cold grip of anxiety seeping into her chest. “Well, I guess they’re more concerns than questions.” She swallowed, determined to spit out her thoughts before she could think better of it. “What if we become bored of each other after a while? I mean this is all well and good while we see each other every few weeks but what if you get tired of me?” Her cheeks flushed as the fear sounded more childish than it had in her mind.

An amused chuckle ran though Dagur as his face split into a wider grin. “Is that all? Tengan, that’s impossible. As if I could ever find myself bored when with the most intense Viking I’ve ever met…. Well second most, after me and Heather I suppose.”

Tengan felt her body relax slightly as she rolled her eyes. “You know I’m technically not a Viking, right? But, seriously, what if we run out of things to talk about? Or things to do?”

Dagur gripped her shoulders, still grinning. “Then we’ll take our dragons and fly off to find a new adventure. Do you honestly believe you’ll ever have a boring day with the chief of the Berserkers by your side?” He gasped in mock offense.

“You do have a point there. It’s never a dull day when I’m with you.” She reluctantly smiled.

“Anything else, baby?” He tousled the crazy mop of curls atop her head, snickering when several sections fell to curtain her face.

Tengan shook her head to toss the curls back in place, a playful glare on her face. “Yes, actually.” She let her bag sink to the ground before taking his hands into hers, discouraging a repeat offense. “Well…” she started, suddenly nervous again. “I’ve always wanted to be a mother. Children are a gift and our chance to make sure all we’ve learned doesn’t die with us. I don’t think I could be with someone who doesn’t see them as a part of their future. Is that something you want?” She swallowed thickly, her eyes desperately searching his for any hint of a reaction.

Dagur blinked, eyes widening in surprise. “Of course! I’ve always wanted my own personal army of tiny Berserkers running around.” He grinned as he leaned forward, his expression twisting into something downright predatory. “We could even get started on that tonight, since it’s so important to you.” He growled in her ear before dipping his head to nip lightly at the hollow of her neck.

Tengan gasped, the sound morphing into a strangled moan as she involuntarily leaned into the contact. Her stomach twisted and burned as her eyes fluttered shut. “Oh, Dagur…” She purred lightly as his teeth grazed against her skin for a second time.

Dagur chuckled darkly as she wriggled in his embrace. He allowed his hands to roam her sides and back freely for several moments as his teeth laid claim to her neck. With a final nip and squeeze he pulled away, smirking down at her disheveled appearance. “I told you, Berserkers go all out.” He kissed the tip of her nose, still smirking as he shouldered her bag. “We should get going. Don’t want to be late for the meeting.” He glanced at her neck, his smirk widening at the sight of the deep red and slightly purple mark blossoming where his teeth had been moments before.

Tengan swayed on her feet for a moment, slightly dazed. As his statement registered, her playful glare returned. “You are a terrible tease, you know that?” Giving up on recovering her satchel, she let her arm slip under his as they resumed their walk. “And this doesn’t mean I’m accepting your proposal just yet.” She added hastily after a moment. “…Although I won’t lie. Every time I see you I have less of a reason to refuse.”

Dagur grinned down at her, his eyes flicking briefly to the prominent bruise. “Like I said before. Let Daddy Dagur be sure enough for the both of us.” 

Tengan rolled her eyes, well aware of the burning heat coursing through her. As they approached the center of town, she withdrew her arm to wave a greeting at several familiar faces. Oddly, several villagers stared openly at her after a quick glance between the pair. A couple of the men even gave Dagur a wink when they thought she wasn’t looking. “What was all that about?” She mused as they climbed the steps to the hall. “It was almost like they knew about us….. have you been telling people I accepted?” She rounded on Dagur, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Dagur grinned back sheepishly, fighting the urge to glance at his mark again. “Of course not!” He bit back a bark of laughter as he opened the door for her. “We better head in.” He deflected quickly. “Like you said, don’t want to be the last ones to the table, right?”

Tengan huffed and nodded as she slipped through the door. “If you’re lying, I’m going to have Rumble feed you to the Screaming Eels.” She threatened with no real malice in her voice. The idea of everyone on Berk knowing of her potential betrothal sparked equal waves of embarrassment and excitement. Spotting Heather and Astrid seated down at the far end of one of the long tables, she waved enthusiastically. 

The pair of girls started to wave back in return, freezing when Tengan strode past a torch bracketed against a stone pillar, the light illuminating the obvious mark on her neck. With quick whispers to one another they stood and split up, Astrid making a beeline for her fellow Rider while Heather stormed over to her brother.

“I’ll kill him.” Astrid whispered in Tengan’s ear as she hurriedly adjusted the collar of her shirt. “He had to pick the most obvious spot to leave that mark.” She huffed, surveying her work. “There. It should stay hidden now. I don’t think any of the boys noticed.”

Tengan’s eyes widened as her heart skipped several beats. She glanced briefly down at her adjusted collar before turning to glare at the Berserker chief. Her scolding words died in her throat as she witnessed Heather soundly thumping the back of her brother’s skull with the handle of her axe.

“Serves you right!” The dark-haired Viking hissed as Dagur rubbed the back of his head with a pained wince. Turning on her heel, she slipped an arm under Astrid and Tengan’s elbows before leading them to the far side of the table, well away from where the majority of the Riders and A-Team had taken a seat. “Sorry about that. My brother can be such an ass at times.”

Tengan sighed as she settled between her two friends, her frustrated glare still trained on a now deflated Dagur. “That would explain all the odd looks we were getting on our way over.” She whispered before biting the corner of her lip to hide her smile. As embarrassing as it would be to face the villagers after the meeting, there was an undeniable thrill that came from wearing a physical mark of his desire. A claim to her skin that shouted out a declaration of ownership and a not so subtle threat to any that would challenge it.

“If we’re all done messing around then?” Hiccup asked the hall impatiently as he watched Dagur place Tengan’s bag on the table before slinking into an empty seat next to Fishlegs. “Good. Now, everyone is going to need to be on the top of their game if we’re going to get the Dragon Eye back from Viggo. Even with all of us and our dragons, we’re only going to have one shot at this.”

The meeting ran on for several hours. Hiccup thoroughly explained each minute detail of the plan of attack. He utilized nearly every map and scroll in Tengan’s bag to illustrate his point and had every Rider explain their role in the ambush back to him until he was satisfied it had been ingrained on the inside of their skulls. Their talks dragged through lunch, thanks to Ruff and Tuff’s determination to give each participant a snappy catchphrase to use as they disposed of a Hunter. Tengan had to admit they had a real gift for it when they assigned her “You know, the smell of a Viking burned by a Skrill’s lightning is identical to roasted boar. Don’t believe me? Watch and learn.”

Despite the groaning of the group’s stomachs, they refused to take a proper break and instead opted to eat cold mutton and bread as they continued to run through Hiccup’s strategy. Finally, around mid-afternoon, everyone seemed well acquainted and even excited with their assigned roles. Even Hiccup smiled as he released the group with a “Everyone get some rest. We leave at sunset.”

Tengan stood and stretched, yawning as widely as a lazy Savannah Cat. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m going to head over to my old hut to get some shut eye.” She smiled and waved farewell to Heather, who returned the gesture before heading over to the beckoning Fishlegs. 

Astrid’s brow furrowed slightly as she watched Hiccup gather the now scattered scrolls and plans. “I’m going to check on him. This is a big deal. The first time Stoick hasn’t tried to talk over him or completely ignore his plans.”

Tengan nodded and gave her friend a gentle nudge. “Go talk to him. I’ll finish cleaning up.” She waited for the pair to depart before stepping up to the now mostly deserted table and began tightly rolling scrolls to tuck back in her satchel. She continued to keep her eyes on her work as a familiar shadow fell across her. “You’re lucky Heather let you off with just a small bump. Astrid wanted to kill you.”

Dagur chuckled as he passed her a few stacks of paper. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” He tugged the full bag out of her arms and swung it over his shoulder. “So, where are we headed now?” He grinned innocently.

Tengan scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I am heading back to my hut. I have no clue where you plan to rest until tonight.” She swept past him wearing a devious smirk, her gaze trained on the open doors of the hall.

“Tengan? Oh, come on!” He jogged after her, hoisting the pack higher. “You’re not mad too, are you?” He hovered close to her right side as they made their way down the stone steps.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye as the smirk shifted into a gentle smile. “No. I should be, but no.” She slipped her hand into his, their fingers intertwining. Her other hand readjusted her shirt to keep the mark hidden. They walked in a comfortable silence for most of the journey, although Tengan would occasionally return sly greetings or playful jeers towards any villagers they passed.

Finally, the pair crested the grassy hilltop where her old hut rested. Smiling, Tengan took a moment to silently thank Stoick for maintaining the small pile of firewood nestled up against one side of the hut and for the clearly new thatching in between the wooden logs of the roof before she shoved the door open. “Well, here we are.” She gestured for him to set the bag down on the dusty wooden desk as she gently caressed Kelp’s old hammock.

Dagur gently placed her overstuffed bag on the table, curiously looking around the small space. “Your bed is a little small.” He purred into her ears as he slid his arms around her waist. “Looks like we’ll have to squeeze together just to fit.”

Tengan smirked back at the Berserker chief. “Oh, the size won’t be a problem.” She whispered back as she stood on her tiptoes to close the gap. 

“And why is that?” he growled, tugging her in closer.

Tengan’s smirk widened as she roughly shoved Dagur outside of the cabin, slamming the door behind him as he stumbled into the dirt. “Because, like I said, I’ll be sleeping here. Can’t risk you leaving any other marks before tonight.” She shouted through the locked door.

“You said you weren’t mad!” Dagur’s whine carried through the wooden walls of her hut as he pounded on the door. Each collision with his fist left the frame shaking slightly. “Let me in!” He pleaded, redoubling his efforts to reach her.

“Dagur, if you break my door, I WILL be angry!” She called back, mildly shocked at the raw power he seemed to keep under control most of the time. “I’ll see you tonight. Why don’t you head back to the Academy and sleep in Shattermaster’s stall?”

The pounding eased off as his weight dully thudded against the ground. “As amazing as my dragon is, I’d much rather sleep next to a beautiful woman.” He grumbled.

Tengan felt the heat flush back into her face. Cursing herself for giving into the simplest form of flattery, she unbolted the door and pulled it open. She jumped backward as Dagur, who had apparently been leaning against it, tumbled into the hut. Laughing, she closed the door behind him once more. “Alright, you sweet talker, I think we’re even now.”

Dagur bounced back up, a playful glare on his face. “Oh no, I’m not done with you yet.” With a roar, he scooped her up in his arms, his lips finding her neck once more. In one fluid motion, he deposited her onto the bed and scrambled on top, caging her smaller form in between the bed frame and his body. “Now let’s see exactly where you’re ticklish…”

Tengan could only gasp out a “Don’t you dare!” before his wiggling fingers found the curves of her sides. Laughter tore from her body as she thrashed beneath him, desperate to find a way out. As his hands slipped up to her neck she screeched, her back arching. With one final thrash her head whipped forward, smashing her attacker square in the nose. “Ow!” She groaned, rubbing her forehead. Glancing at Dagur, she noticed a small dribble of blood leaking out of one nostril. “Oh gods! Are you alright?! I’m so sorry!”

Dagur grinned widely as he wiped the blood off away with the back of his hand. “There’s that fighting spirit!” He dipped his head down and caught her lips in his for several quick kisses before breaking away. Letting his weight crash down on his side, he tugged her flush against his body. “And you thought I’d get bored of you.” He huffed.

Tengan wriggled in his grip, slipping one of her legs in between his and bringing her hands up to rest on his chest. Her eyes nervously flicked to his nose. “Are you sure you’re alright? That was a pretty nasty headbutt. Although, it serves you right for tickling me.”

Dagur chuckled, the sound morphing into an exaggerated yawn. “Fair enough, baby.” His eyes drifted shut. “Get some sleep. We’ve got Hunter’s to exterminate tonight.”

Tengan sighed in mock exasperation before letting her eyes close as well. The slow, steady flow of his breathing and the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat under her fingers quickly pulled her into a deep, dreamless sleep. It felt like only seconds had passed when she felt herself being gently shaken. “Wha-?” She asked sleepily, her eyes cracking open.

Dagur, already fully awake and standing, smiled down at her. “Time to go.” He placed an arm under her shoulders and coaxed her to her feet with relative ease.

Tengan groaned as she rubbed her eyes. “Why is it, whenever I see you, my sleep schedule goes right out the window?” A yawn tore at the back of her throat as she leaned heavily on her companion. Their walk to the Academy was quick and peaceful; their path illuminated by the deep gold of the setting Sun. Passing under the gates, she gave Dagur’s hand a grateful squeeze before departing to saddle Rumble, pausing only long enough to chuck an empty bucket at Snotlout’s head when he asked why she had a bruise on her neck.

“Everyone ready?” Hiccup called out from his perch atop Toothless, his eyes raking over the dozen or so dragons standing in formation before him. “Remember, stay silent on the flight over. We can’t risk Viggo-”

“Ughh we KNOW Hiccup!” Snotlout called out as he nursed the lump on his head where the bucket struck. “Let’s get going so we can kick some Dragon Hunter tail!” He smirked as his comment drew a resounding roar of approval from several Vikings and dragons.

Hiccup glared back, his chest swelling in frustration as Astrid approached on Stormfly. The pair shared a quick, hushed conversation that seemed to ease the one-legged Viking. “Alright. You all know your assignments. Let’s go.”

A couple hours later, Tengan found herself gliding silently along in between Snotlout and Spitelout. She resolved to ask Hiccup afterward if her placement had been intentional; several times she had to discourage Snotlout from calling out to his father to show off some new maneuver or whatever was on his mind. Her saving grace came from the Berserker siblings stationed directly in front of her. Every time Rumble buffeted Hookfang with a small gust of air to remind his Rider of their current mission, one of the pair would twist in the saddle to give her a sympathetic smile.

The tension in the air thickened as the Riders approached the small island they had learned Viggo was stationed on. Tengan gave her companions one last somber nod before she and Rumble broke apart from the group to circle around the Eastern side of the island. “Alright boy, just like we practiced. There should be three guards stationed on that cliff up ahead.” She whispered as she crouched low in the saddle. “Ready? Now!” With a light tap of her heels, she sent Rumble diving rapidly towards their target. She drew her sword as he slammed onto the cliff, wings raised to strike…. Nothing?

“Where are all the guards?” Gustav called a bit too loudly as Fanghook landed next to her. “We didn’t get to drag anyone into the harbor! Someone already sank the ships!”

Tengan glanced around quickly, the hairs on her neck standing at attention. “This doesn’t feel right to me either. Stay close and we’ll make our way towards the center of the island. Maybe Viggo was tipped off.” She flinched as the younger Rider called a command to his Monstrous Nightmare. “And stay quiet!” She whispered harshly. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

The pair silently circled back around to where the group had originally split up, their eyes peeled for any small movement or suspicious items. As they made their way inland several of the other riders rejoined; each confirming that their ambush point was deserted and destroyed.

“It looks like someone already beat us to it.” FIshlegs observed glumly as Meatlug landed among the others.

“Yes, but the question is; who?” Stoick added as he slid out of Skullcrusher’s saddle to closely inspect a smashed crate.

“I don’t like this.” Tengan murmured as she tightened her grip on Rumble’s neck spine. “Who else could have attacked Viggo? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Hiccup landed nearby, a furious glare marring his usually warm features. Without a glance at any of the others, he stormed into the lone remaining tent; the structure that would have been Viggo’s hideout if everything had gone smoothly. A roar of frustration brought Astrid and Stoick jogging in after him, followed by a series of loud crashes. 

Moment’s later, Astrid poked her head back out. “Guys. You’re going to want to see this.” Her voice was tight, her eyes wide with concern.

Tengan allowed most of the others to crowd in before her. Taking one last sweeping look around the area to ensure no foul play was at hand, she slipped into the tent, opting to stand in between Dagur and Gustav. Letting her gaze sweep across the room, her eyes widened in shock as she beheld a bruised and bloody Viggo propping his weak form up against an overturned barrel.

Hiccup paced restlessly before the beaten down hunter, a feral snarl parting his lips. “What happened here? Viggo, where is the Dragon Eye?” He stopped pacing to glare down at their adversary, his hands resting on his hips.

Viggo looked up from the floor of his tent, displaying a single swollen black eye to the group. “Ryker has lost all sense of reason.” His voice maintained it’s calm, level, almost taunting tone despite his clear injuries. “He’s on his own and, unfortunately, has managed to sway the soft minds of the Dragon Hunters.” He shifted his weight so he was sitting up properly, one arm coming up to cradle his ribcage. “My brother has turned them on their leader. Ryker’s plan, as simple minded as it is, is to wipe out the Dragon Riders and all of your allies!”

Hiccup scoffed. “And how is that different from every other threat we’ve ever dealt with?” He smirked slightly to himself as several soft chuckles permeated the tense atmosphere in the tent.

Viggo’s good eye narrowed. “The difference, my dear Hiccup, is Project Shellfire. I believe your Zipplebcak riders stumbled upon that name not too long ago.”

Hiccup stepped closer. “Tell me what Project Shellfire is. We know it’s some sort of weapon. Is it a boat? A dragon?”

Viggo struggled to his feet. “In due time I will divulge all. Project Shellfire, the location of the Dragon Eye…” He examined his bloodied fingernails with an air of disinterest. “But, only if you help me stop my brother and send me on my way.”

Tengan clenched her fists, knowing that if she had hackles, they’d be standing on end. “He’s lying.” She snarled, taking a step forward. “He’s still working with his brother. The second we get to wherever he tells us his men will spring another trap!”

Fishlegs stepped forward as well. “She’s right, Hiccup. We shouldn’t trust Viggo as far as we can throw him!”

Viggo sneered at the pair of Riders as he forced himself to stand perfectly straight. “Oh, I agree. Trusting me is, shall we say, a stretch?” He chuckled lightly. “Therefore, as a show of good faith, I will tell you where and when my brother will strike next. Give you time to save some of your allies. The ones he intends to systematically destroy. Listen up: The next attack will be on the Defenders of the Wing. Followed by the Outcasts, Berserkers, and Berk itself. The Shimmering Shores should be safe.” He added with a nod towards Tengan. “My brother never held your people’s knowledge storehouse as highly regarded as I do. Although, given the headaches you’ve given him, I wouldn’t put it past him to add your precious library back home as a stop on his tour. As for the set order, I’m unsure. Ryker may not be a tactical genius but he does still hold some things close to the vest.”

Hiccup abruptly gestured for the group to leave, his eyes still trained on Viggo. Once every other Rider had left the tent he followed at a brisk pace, his shoulders sagging as the cool night air reached him. 

“There is no way we are believing one word this guy says.” Astrid spat as she glared towards the closed flap of the tent.

Hiccup sighed, his face grave. “We can’t just ignore it, Astrid. There are too many lives at stake.”

Stoick nodded. “Agreed. Gobber and I will take the auxiliary Riders back to Berk, just in case.”

Hiccup nodded before rounding on the others. “Heather, Dagur, go make sure Berserker Island is ready. The rest of us will head to Caldera Cay to warn Queen Mala.”

Tengan glanced quickly between Hiccup and the siblings. “I should go with Heather and Dagur!” She spoke up suddenly. “Berk has the A-Team, Caldera Cay has the Defenders and the Eruptodon, and The Edge has the Riders. Berserker Isle, while home to gifted warriors, is still being rebuilt. Two dragons may not be enough to hold off Project Shellfire if they are attacked.” She stepped forward, her face set.

Hiccup briefly looked as if he were going to argue before nodding once. “Alright, you make a fair point. Just be careful.”

Tengan smiled, well aware that this may be the last time they all stood together. “Always am.” She shifted her gaze to Stoick. “Will you please send a Terror Message to my mother? Warn her of what might be coming. I know there’s only a slim chance but-”

“It will be done, lass.” Stoick nodded as he swung back into the saddle. “The Shimmering Shores will be warned, I promise.”

“Thank you.” Tengan sighed. With one final weathered smile towards her friends, she turned to follow the siblings back towards their dragons. Slipping past Dagur, she gave his hand a quick squeeze before mourning up. “Well, it’s a little earlier than intended, but Dagur? Heather? Lead the way!”

Dagur grinned as he urged Shattermaster into the air. “You heard the lady, sister! Back to Berserker Isle. We’ll be ready to show those Hunters the REAL meaning of the word berserk!”

Tengan swallowed the knot of anxiety in her throat as Rumble climbed to follow Winshear and Shattermaster. Several times she spun in the saddle to catch fleeting glimpses of the other Riders before the inky dark sky swallowed the island. Images of her friends and allies flashed through her mind in a continuous stream. How many would fall if they failed? How many would fall to ensure they could succeed? The trio spent their time in the air discussing possible defensive measures they would be able to establish in short order or speculating on the nature of this new weapon, the simple act of planning cut her anxious thoughts short before they could spiral too far.

“Here we are!” Dagur called out as they swept over several houses in various states of completion. “The stables are a bit away from the center of town. The dragon’s don’t like the valley for some reason.”

Tengan reached down to soothingly stroke Rumble’s neck as the Skrill bucked and growled. “You’re not joking!” She hollered back as they approached a grassy hill with a large metal and wood stable perched atop it like an absurdly shiny hat. She dismounted with a dull thud, letting her knees bend a bit more than strictly necessary to absorb the blow. Hiding a yawn behind her hand she led Rumble into the impressive structure. “Where would you like me to put him?”

Dagur grinned as he settled Shattermaster into his stall. The generously sized space was complete with a stone-slab bed and a large trough filled with varying rocks. “His stall is right across from Shattermaster’s! Take a look.”

Heather chuckled as she unsaddled Windshear. “Oh, did he forget to mention Rumble already has a personalized stall here?” She teased lightly as she secured the Razorwhip’s door.

Tengan sighed deeply. “I really shouldn’t be surprised.” Turning around, she guided Rumble into the assigned stall. On the back wall, the Berserker crest was carved into the metal with “RUMBLE” prominently displayed directly beneath it. Along one wall sat a stone slab cut from the same block as Shattermaster’s. Tengan smiled as Rumble quickly shuffled over to the bed and flopped down, rustling his wings as he settled. She quietly backed out and shut the door securely behind her, acutely aware Dagur was hovering close by over her shoulder.

“He seems to like it.” The Berserker chief smiled as he placed a hand on Tengan’s shoulder.

“Apparently” she agreed with a minute nod of her head. “Thank you.” She turned to face the pair, her eyes glittering with determination. “Now, about those ambush preparations…..”

The rest of the night and following morning were spent in frenzied activity. As they made their way back into town, Dagur had roared out commands for every able bodied Berserker to come forth and prepare their home for invasion. All those unfit to fight were to load excess food and supplies on the ships stationed in the harbor for safe keeping. Tengan helped where she could, often pairing up with Heather as she assisted the elderly and very young hump supplies down to the docks. Several times she glanced at a building in fascination, itching to explore and record her findings. Each time the memory of Viggo’s warning came flooding back and she redoubled her efforts. If they weren’t ready, there wouldn’t be a Berserker Isle to study. She prayed that her mother and her people would receive Stoick’s warning and be prepared themselves if the time came.

A few hours before sunset, Tengan found herself panting in the shade of a nearby tree after what felt like her thousandth trip to the docks loaded with grain and blankets. On that particular trek down, a mother had been struggling to contain all three of her children, so she offered to ferry the oldest toddler along with her load of grain bags. The young girl was quite happy to sit atop her shoulders and play with her bouncing curls, innocently oblivious to how much her weight slowed their progress. “You doing ok, Heather?” She wheezed to her friend, who had also hefted a boy not much younger than Tengan’s charge down the hillside. 

“Yep.” Heather groaned as she stretched her back. “Actually, no, not really.” She laughed breathlessly. “As much as I love children, I think I’ll hold off on having a few of my own for a little while.”

“Yeah?” Tengan panted. “Probably a good idea. I doubt Fishlegs is willing to trade his dragon eggs for swaddling cloths just yet.” She wheezed out a weak laugh, barely dodging Heather’s lazy swipe at her shoulder.

“Drink.” Dagur commanded sternly as he approached the pair, a water skin in each hand. He eyed the women sternly until each had taken several long drafts before speaking. “It looks like everyone who needs to be gone is waiting by the ships.” He smiled and nodded, sweat dripping off his brow. “All of the buildings are fortified the best we can manage and the warriors are stationed along the cliff side. Nothing will be able to sneak up on us.”

Tengan handed the half-empty water skin back with a grateful smile. “What’s next?” She forced herself to straighten up, her eyes half lidded with exhaustion.

Dagur coaxed Tengan to lean back against the tree. “Now we rest. It’s been a long night and longer morning. An exhausted warrior is no use to anyone.” He gently forced her into a seated position at the base of the tree before turning to Heather. “You too, sister.”

Heather wasted no time arguing and let her body sink into a prone position next to the base of the tree. “Don’t have to tell me twice.” She flung the crook of one arm over her face to shield her eyes from the thin sunlight streaming through the canopy. Within moments, her breathing had eased and slowed.

Tengan waited for Dagur to sink onto the ground next to her before shifting so her head settled in his lap. “What about you? What if something ha-ha-happens?” She yawned.

Dagur smiled gently down at the Rider as he leaned against the tree. He gently caressed her mop of curls, mindful not to let his fingers snag in their wild tangle. “I’ll be able to hear if anything happens.” He breathed deeply for a moment, content in knowing the two women he cared for most laid peacefully beside him. “When this is all over I’ll give you a proper tour.” He promised the already snoozing Tengan before he let his head lean back against the harsh bark of the tree and closed his eyes.

An earth shattering explosion rocked the island as a shell exploded overhead, it’s glittering shrapnel dancing in the light of the setting sun. Tengan rocketed to her feet, eyes wide in pure panic. A second explosion immediately followed, sending the poor girl stumbling into the trunk of the tree she had been resting under. “Dagur! Heather!” She yelled out as several Berserkers thundered past them.

Heather, already on her feet, was also gripping the tree to stay upright. “Where is it coming from?!” She called out, her head whipping in all directions.

Dagur, crouched low to maintain his balance, glared towards the southern coast. “There!” he pointed as a third shell arched overhead. “We need to get to our dragons!” He spun to face several men running towards him. “Gather all warriors and head to the docks! Make sure everyone is on those ships! This is a battle for dragons and Riders!” He boomed the order, leaving no room for argument.

Tengan scrambled up the hillside with Heather and Dagur in tow. Several times they had to drop to all fours as a shell crashed and exploded somewhere in the small settlement behind them. By the time they crested the hill and approached the stable, the sun had already dipped beneath the horizon. Each shell that exploded overhead creating a tauntingly beautiful display as sparks rained down over the island. Struggling for breath, she swung Rumble’s stall door open and quickly saddled the Skrill. Several more explosions sent her crashing into her dragon’s side. Each time she simultaneously cursed herself for bothering to untack him in the first place and praised the Skrill for being exceptionally calm given the earth-shattering explosions occurring several times a minute. Finally, she managed to secure the last strap and swung herself into the saddle. “Go, Rumble go!” She cried, ducking low as he bolted out of the open stall down the main aisle of the stable. Once out in the open air, she directed him to climb rapidly to join Shattermaster and Windshear circling overhead.

“Oh thank Thor you’re alright!” Heather nearly screamed to be heard over the explosions. “Let’s get going! We have to stop whatever that thing is!”

“No!” Dagur holled as Shattermaster rose to hover between the two larger dragons. “It looks like some of our boats still haven’t left the harbor. Tengan, I need you to cover them while they escape.”

“But what about our home?” Heather cried out desperately. “Everything we’ve built. We need all three of us to take on whatever is causing all this destruction!”

Dagur shook his head firmly, his expression grave. “Sister, you and I both know this is not a battle we’re going to win today. Our home IS our people. We’re going to draw the fire of whatever that thing is until Tengan can get the others to safety!” 

Tengan rapidly looked between the siblings, the general direction from where the shells were coming from, and the last few groups of people hustling along the docks. As she stared, one of the shells rained down molten shrapnel over the group. A mall chorus of agonized screams carried up to the Riders. With one final look back at the siblings, she nodded. “I will protect them!” Her eyes flicked to Dagur’s. “Be safe!” 

With a heavy heart, she urged Rumble to leave the group and dive towards the docks. Several times they had to roll or abruptly climb to avoid another shell as it exploded nearby. As they approached the fleeing group furthest from the docks, the explosions shifted further away, granting them a bit more time. “I don’t know how long Dagur and heather can keep their attention!” She hollered down to the hustling mass. “Drop anything that isn’t necessary and run to the boats! We will cover you from above!”

They flew in tight circles over the panicked Vikings, eyes continuously flicking towards the distant explosions. Several times Rumble had to swoop low and carry a critically injured Berserker in his talons to the deck of the nearest ship. Many more times they approached a downed Viking to offer assistance, only to find they had already succumbed to their horrible injuries. Chunks of metal melted into large patches of skin, limbs and heads crushed under larger pieces of debris. Twice it looked as if they had simply been trampled to death by their fleeing companions. Each death twisted Tengan’s heart as she felt time stretch on. “Comeon, comeon.” She whispered urgently as the final few warriors scrambled onto the last boat.

As they guarded the fleeing ships, she spent several moments staring off in the distance where the Berserker siblings were still dutifully drawing fire. As the boats cleared the harbor she guided Rumble down to hover next to the lead ship. “Keep heading south! I’m going back to help Dagur and Heather!” She raised her sword above her head in emphasis, nodding grimly as several of the warriors responded with a chorus of Berserker war cries. Tapping her heels against Rumble’s sides, she urged the Skrill to climb towards the explosions at a break-neck pace. Bent low over the saddle, she closed her eyes to all but the thinnest slits as the air rushed past her.

“Woah, Tengan!” Heather’s voice barely reached the pair as they shot past.

Tengan tugged firmly on Rumble’s saddle, sending the Skrill in a tight, looping about-face maneuver. Mindful of the blasts still flying in their general direction, she approached the retreating pair of dragons. “Thank the stars you’re both alright!” She cried, her eyes raking over the pair and their dragons, hastily searching for any hint of an injury.

“Of course we’re fine!” Dagur attempted to grin, his face tense. “Were you able to get everyone to the ships?” He and Shattermaster dropped suddenly as a shell soared overhead. 

Tengan’s heart dropped as she remembered the lifeless bodies so close to the shore. “Almost everyone. We counted at least seven dead. Several more injured. The fleet is heading south now to take them out of range.”

“You did everything you could.” Heather shouted over the nearby explosions.”Many more would have died if not for you and Rumble. You have our thanks!”

Dagur clenched his fists and glared darkly in the direction the projectiles were still raining from. “I’ll destroy the Hunters for this!” He roared, dodging yet another projectile. He turned back to the two women and began to bark an order, only to be distracted by a familiar black shape soaring through the clouds towards them. “Brother!” He hailed as Hiccup approached, flanked by the other Riders.

Hiccup and Toothless rolled out of the way of an incoming projectie. “You lot, protect the ships! Save everyone you can. When done, meet us back at the Edge! Astrid and I are going to try to get in closer and stop this Shellfire once and for all!”

“Hiccup, no! Wait!” Tengan called out on deaf ears as Toothless and Stormfly whipped past them, diving to fly close to the water’s edge. Turning back to the others, her face fell. “They’ll never be able to take that thing on with just the two of them!”

“Maybe not.” Fishlegs agreed, his arms clasped around a tiny, wriggling, Eruptodon hatchling. “But they’re smart. They won’t be taken down that easily. It’s up to us to use this time to get the other Berserkers to safety.”

“He’s right.” Dagur nodded. “Riders and Berserkers with me!” He hollered, raising his axe into the air. “There’s a small island not too far away with defensible cliffs. We’ll lead them there! Tengan! Heather! You two are with me. Riders, I need you to cover our flanks and the rear!”

“You got it boss Berserker sir!” Tuffnut grinned and he and his twin peeled off from the small formation to circle at the rear of the ships.

Tengan nodded a thanks at Fishlegs and Snotlout as they took up sentry on either side of the small fleet. “Dagur,” She called, her voice delicate. “Where would you like me?”

The chief smiled back at her, his eyes hollow. “Shattermaster and Windshear need to rest. It wasn’t easy keeping their attention on us. The island is a couple hours due south. You’ll be leading the fleet. It will do my people good to see our symbol flying among the ranks.”

Tengan blinked in surprise, here eyes darting between the two siblings. Even with the dim starlight she could make out the sagging posture of both dragons. Poor Windshear’s head hung lower than Tengan had ever remembered seeing it; her tongue lolling limply from her jaws. “Alright.” She nodded. “You can leave it to us.”

“Thank you, friend.” Heather replied wearily as she guided her Razorwhip to glide gently down to one of the foremost ships, Dagur and Shattermaster not far behind.

Tengan straightened in the saddle, forcing all her aches and fatigue far from her mind. “Alright boy. Let’s keep everyone going strong!” Swooping low over the ships, she brought forth a deep, guttural cry, letting it rise and fall as she had remembered Dagur’s did the day they hunted for Viggo’s gold. A thin, dark smile touched her lips as a chorus of cries responded, momentarially drowning out the dull explosions of the battle still raging on behind them. 

Rumble, feeding off the chaotic energy, let loose an ear splitting roar of his own, his scales momentarily crackling with stored energy. Despite his heavy breathing, he flew in a large, swooping loop over the lead ship, the small bolts of energy trailing off of his body in a cascade of sparks. A second, louder cheer rang from the deck of every ship as the Berserkers witnessed the Skrill’s display.

The island, while easy to find, offered considerable protection. It had a large central beach and grassland. High cliffs, dotted with clusters of tall trees, surrounding the protected area. There was only place for the ships to pass through to the bay, and it was only large enough for two to enter abreast at a time. As the last few sailed into their temporary port, Dagur and Heather rejoined the group as they hurriedly winged back to the Edge.

Thankfully, Hiccup and Astrid were already there, waving up from the balcony connected to the main hall as they flew in. Silently, the returning riders settled their dragons in the stable for the night, excluding poor Meatlug who had to stay awake to produce lava for the hatchling, before exhaustingly plodding across the bridge to join the pair around the large fireplace. Thankfully, Astrid and Hiccup had used their head start to prepare a substantial pot of stew and pile of bread for the others; who ate slowly and without much vigor.

Hiccup paced while they grabbed bowls and settled in, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. “You’re all not going to believe this, but Project Shellfire is a weaponized, titan-wing dragon. Tidal class. Bigger than a Submaripper, long-range firing capabilities.”

“Tidal class dragons don’t attack humans, Hiccup.” Fishlegs interjected with a weak voice as he picked at his stew. “They just don’t. It’s not in their nature. They’re forcing it to do that!”

“I know they are.” Hiccup agreed, his hand coming up to briefly pinch the bridge of his nose.

Tengan sat slumped over one end of the long table, her eyes glassy. She glanced discreetly over at Heather and Dagur, her frown deeping at the sight. Heather had let her head collapse into her folded arms while Dagur gently patted her shaking shoulders. “I’m sorry.” She murmured gently as she lifted her heavy head from the scrubbed wooden table. “I wish we could have done more to save the island.”

“We all do.” Astrid agreed softly, her eyes drawn towards the flames licking the bottom of the stew pot.

Heather slowly raised her head to address her friends, a small upturn of the corners of her lips appearing as she met Fishlegs’ concerned gaze. “At least we were able to save most of our people. But to rebuild….” She trailed off, letting her head thud dully on the table once more.

Dagur frowned as he rubbed small, soothing circles on his sister’s back. “I’ve been trying really hard to manage my anger, Hiccup.” He snarled, his free can curling into a tight fist. “But, Viggo? He gots to go!”

Tengan gently laid her hand on Dagur’s shoulder, giving the weathered warrior what she hoped was a comforting gaze. “He won’t get away with this.” She promised, her voice heavy. 

Astrid sighed heavily as she propped her sore and battered body up off the table. “What’s our next move?” She gently questioned.

Hiccup shook his head as he continued to pace. “I don’t know. Rest, for now. But we still need to find Viggo, and fast.” His shoulders slumped, he staggered out of the hall towards the stables. After a pregnant pause, Astrid trudged out after him.

Tengan looked up from the grieving siblings to assess the rest of their group. While none of the Riders had sustained any serious injuries, they all sported large, purple bruises or were favoring an arm or leg over the other. A warm bowl of stew , while appreciated, could only do so much. With a short huff, she dragged herself to her feet and stomped decidedly out of the hall and towards her hut, ignoring the questioning glances of her friends. She returned a few minutes later, arms laden with as many furs as she could find and carry back. With a heaving sigh she let them tumble onto the floor in front of the fireplace. “We’ve all had a long day and need some rest. Snotlout? Would you mind going to the stables and letting the dragons out? Ruff and Tuff? I need your help moving all the tables and benches into the corner. Fishlegs? Do you think you and Meatlug could take the hatchling and bring back some firewood from storage? Heather, Dagur? I could really use your help arranging these furs if you’re feeling up to it.”

To her relief, the others seemed to catch on immediately. They all rose to help without complaint and soon the group was resting comfortably on the floor in the center of the hall, their dragons splayed out in a large, protective semi-circle around them. Tengan smiled wearily as she eyed her friends. They still moved with deliberate slowness to avoid aggravating their injuries, but now they smiled, chatted, and even joked with one another. Her smile deepened as she spotted Heather gently rocking the sleeping Eruptodon as she leaned against Fishlegs’ side.

“Come here.” Dagur spoke softly as he sank into a seated position next to Tengan, his back propped up on Shattermaster’s flank. With gentle movements, he gently coaxed her to lean back against his chest before snaking his arms around her waist. With a heavy sigh, he let his chin rest on the top of her head.

Tengan hummed in content as she glanced over at Rumble, who was snoring while snuggled up against Windshear. “Are you alright?” She asked quietly after a moment, her hands coming up to rest atop his.

Dagur stiffened, his breathing becoming more ragged. “No. We spent months rebuilding our home, finding our people. Viggo and Ryker made a mistake attacking the Berserkers. One they won’t live long enough to regret.”

Tengan gave his hands a gentle squeeze, at a loss in finding any words of comfort. Her own mind cartwheeled between fear for her homeland and for those she cared for in the archipelago. “We’ll stop them.” She finally said as the exhaustion of the past couple days began to overtake her.

Dagur waited until he felt her breathing ease and her muscles slacken to speak again. “We will. Then I will rebuild and bring you home.” He promised the sleeping young woman encased in his protective embrace.

Dawn broke sooner than any of the Riders felt was reasonable or fair. Groaning obscenities at the first rays of light, they staggered to their feet, pausing to stretch or massage out any muscles that had stiffened while they rested.

“Are Hiccup and Astrid back yet?” Heather sleepy asked the others as she tickled the back feet of the Eruptodon hatchling.

Tuffnut yawned loudly, stretching his arms over his head until several audible pops rang out from his shoulders. “No, but it looks like they’re on their way back with Viggo now.” 

“WHAT?!” The others roared in unison, sending several of the dragons scrambling to their feet in alarm. Thundering out of the hall and onto the balcony, the group scrambled to catch a glimpse as Toothless and Stormly approached ferrying Astrid, Hiccup, and, regrettably, Viggo.

“Brother?!” Dagur snarled as Toothless touched down. “How could you bring him” he spat the word “back here?”

“I’m with Dagur.” Fishlegs asserted as he stepped in front of Heather, intentionally blocking Viggo’s view of the vulnerable hatchling nestled in her arms. “This entire war has always been just one big game to him, Hiccup!”

“Ryker is coming with the intention of wiping us all out along with his brother.” Astrid spoke up as she dismounted. “Viggo has returned the Dragon Eye but we aren’t taking any chances.”

“I’m sorry, I must have misheard you.” Viggo interjected as he slid out of Toothless’ saddle, clasping his arms behind his back. “I am a man of my word. I came to offer you help in defeating my brother and even brought a peace offering. Does this mean nothing to the Riders?”

“Not nearly enough.” Dagur snarled, reaching for his axe, only pausing when he felt Tengan hastily lace her small fingers in between his.

Hiccup held a hand up to stay the furious pack of Dragon Riders from advancing. “You guys are right.” He assured them. “I got this.” With deft movements, he unsheathed his sword, pressing it to Viggo’s back. “You may claim to be on our side, Viggo, but there’s too much bad blood for us to trust that you’ll do anything besides trying to kill us. You’ll be remanded to the stables for now.”

Viggo’s smug expression turned slightly desperate. “Hiccup, you must reconsider!” He pleaded, fighting to keep his voice even. “I could be of considerable assistance in helping you defend your home if you would allow me!”

Astrid gestured towards the stabled. “We’ll take that into consideration.” She spat, sarcasm dripping from every word.

Hiccup gently prodded Viggo forward once more before glancing over his shoulder at the group. “Everyone meet me down at the arena. Ryker is on his way with several Hunter’s ships. We need to be ready.”

Within fifteen minutes the Riders were standing shoulder to shoulder in the arena, their dragons lined up behind them. Hiccup paced before the group, his hands clasped behind his back as he strode before the assembled team. “We don’t have long before Ryker and his crew are in range.”

“I have an idea.” Snotlout piped up as he stepped out of line. “Now, just follow me on this. I don’t know about you guys but I’m not completely attached to this place. I say we let it burn to the ground.” Catching the looks of utter disbelief on his friends faces, he shrugged before plowing on. “I mean it’s been fun, but is this place worth DYING over?”

“Snotlout, if we don’t stop them here, where do you think they’re going to go?” Hiccup asked, struggling to keep the exasperation from seeping into his tone.

Tengan stepped out of line, her brow furrowed. “They’ll destroy your home and mine.” She spoke up. “You weren’t on Berserker Isle when they first attacked. I will not let Ryker force that tragedy on anyone else!” 

Hiccup nodded. “Exactly, Tengan.” He gestured briefly to her and Dagur. “I need you two to cover the back half of the Edge. Dagur, you’ve spent enough time sneaking around to have the advantage. Tengan, I want you and Rumble to find somewhere to stay hidden nearer to base. If any get through him, you’ll have the element of surprise.

Dagur stepped up and placed a heavy hand on Tengan’s shoulder. “We’ve got it covered! And I take that as a compliment, by the way. You know, the sneaking around part.”

Hiccup had a hard time resisting the small smile that tugged at his lips. “Of course you do. Just get going you two. And be careful.”

Tengan smiled back and gave Dagur’s hand a small squeeze before climbing into Rumble’s saddle. She took off and followed Shattermaster closely, keeping as close to the canopy as possible. The sun had started to rise in earnest now, the light creeping across the entire island. “Where are you planning on going first?”

Dagur smirked back at her. “The south beach. It’s directly under one of the cliff faces. You guys never put a watch tower out there so it was always the easiest place to sneak in.”

Tengan groaned as she recalled the location. “We actually did. The twins kept setting it on fire while doing target practice with the Night Terrors so we gave up replacing it after the fourth or fifth time.” As they circled above the beach, she glanced out towards the northern horizon where several small smudges could be seen in the distance. “Looks like they’ll be here soon. Better get under cover before they spot us.” She glanced down as the Gronckle and his rider hovering below them. “Be safe, will you? You still owe me a tour of Berserker Isle after it’s rebuilt.”

Dagur grinned up at her, marveling how the rays of the rising sun streamed through her un-tameable curls. “Not to worry! Your beloved Berserker doesn’t go down easily.” With a wink and a wave, he directed Shattermaster towards the treeline framing the beach.

With a shake of her head, Tengan watched them descend for several seconds before directing Rumble to land on a nearby cliff face. “You stay here, Rumble.” She urged as she rubbed small circles under the Skrill’s chin. “I’m going to crawl up to the edge to keep an eye on the boys.” She gave her dragon a small kiss on the tip of his snout before laying flat on her belly and shimmying up to the edge of the cliff. Peering over, she settled in to wait as the sun continued to climb.

Within a couple hours, the first few shells crashed into the island, sending shockwaves through the ground. Tengan cried out at the cliffedge she had been clinging to began to crumble and fall away. Before she could do more than gasp, she felt teeth clamp down gently on her leg as Rumble dragged her backwards. Sitting up, she threw her arms around her dragon’s neck, her breathing ragged. “Thanks, boy.” She hugged him tighter. “Dagur and Shattermaster are going to have to be on their own for a little bit. It’s too dangerous to be in the open.” Hustling back under the tree cover, she smiled as Rumble draped a protective wing over her head, deflecting several leaves and small branches that rained down with each blast. “I hope the others are alright.”

The explosions seemed to come in waves. Eight, nine, ten shells would crash into the island before everything would quiet for a minute. Each time the shots would abade, Tengan would scramble to the quickly receding cliff edge and glance around for Dagur or Shattermaster before rushing back to cover as the next wave would begin. On her fourth or fifth check, she barely glimpsed the pair rushing to the aid of the island’s resident Triple Stryke who had been backed into a corner by a small group of Hunters. “How did they come ashore without us seeing them!?” She gasped as she swung into the saddle.

“Woah boy, steady. We can’t blow our cover just yet.” She soothed as Rumble spread his wings in preparation to take off. “They’ve got this.” She assured her dragon, not totally convinced herself. No less than a dozen Hunters stalked towards their prey, bows drawn. A shaky sigh of relief left her as she watched the Gronckle tail bludgeon three into submission, allowing the Triple Stryke to slip away in the dense web of trees. She had to bite her lip to keep from cheering as Dagur and Shattermaster made quick work of several more Hunters, the dull thud of their bodies hitting the sand carrying up to her hiding place.

It seemed the pair were going to make quick work of the invaders, until one of the Hunters still stationed on the ship loosed a bolder from one of their catapults. With a sickening crack and a horrible, pained, bone-chilling shriek, Shattermaster crashed into the shore, spilling Dagur on the sand next to him.

“No!” Tengan cried out, her vision tunneling. “Rumble! Let’s go! They need us!” Nudging her Skrill off the cliff face, she kept her eyes glued to the downed pair as Rumble dove, his wings nearly flat against his body. As they closed the gap, she drew her sword, a furious cry ripping through her throat. “DON'T TOUCH THEM!” She roared as Rumble furled his unfurled his wings at the last possible second.

The Skrill thundered onto the soft sand, the force of his landing sending a wall of sand flying into the air. Feeding off his Rider’s fury, he roared defiantly at the Hunters as he loosed a surge of stored lightning.

Tengan bared her teeth in a feral snarl, her sword tip pointing at the lead Hunter. “Step forward only if you wish to die!” She snapped, her eyes burning with an intensity matching her dragon’s blast.

Dagur coughed several times as he struggled to his feet and towards his dragon. Coaxing the Gronckle to stand, he gently herded the injured dragon behind a large rock jutting up from the sandy shore. “It’s ok boy.” He soothed as he struggled to support his partner’s bulk. “Our girl’s really something, huh?” He smiled as he helped Shattermaster into a comfortable position. “Stay here, boy. I’ll be right back.” With a roar, he charged back into the battle, momentarily distracted as he laid eyes on Tengan.

She had dismounted and was standing next to Rumble as they fought off a wave of Hunters. A small cut on her cheek dripped blood freely over her mouth, painting her vicious snarl a brilliant red. Each time she lunged forward, her sword bit through the leather armor of a Hunter or clashed angrily against the steel of their weapons. She seemed to move in time with her dragon as if the two were of one mind. Every time the Skrill struck out with wings or tail she fluidly ducked or sidestepped the attack before following up with one of her own. 

Dagur’s grin widened as he took his place on Tengan’s free side. “You’ll make an excellent Berserker!” He cheered as he turned his attention to the battle at hand. Spotting the Hunter who launched the catapult at SHattermaster, his grin morphed into an angry snarl fit to match the frenzied woman beside him. “This is for Shattermaster!” He roared, charging forward with his axe raised. 

Wave after wave of the Hunters approached the pair and the dragon. As one found himself too injured to face them, another took his place. Dagur and Tengan fought on, desperately ignoring the cold heaviness creeping into their limbs. After a time, Rumble’s stockpiled lightning ran dry and he too began collecting shallow cuts where the Hunter’s spears had broken through. Thankfully, he had avoided any dragon root tipped weapons so far.

Tengan’s chest heaved as she struggled for breath. “There’s no end to them! How many men can you cram on one ship!” She struggled to keep her sword at chest level. “Is Shattermaster alright?” She called over to Dagur as she kept her eyes locked on the approaching Hunters.

“He took a pretty hard hit!” Dagur responded as his axe handle slammed into a Hunter’s helmet. “I think one of his wings is broken. Duck!” He cried out before swinging his weapon where Tengan’s head had been moments before, the blade sinking into the bare arm of her attacker.

“Thanks!” Tengan gasped as she shoved the screaming man away from her. Her body trembling slightly from exhaustion, she glanced around as several more Hunters closed in. “I’m not sure how much longer we can hold them off.” She admitted darkly, her eyes drawn to the bloody foam dripping from her dragon’s jaws.

“Then you and Rumble need to get out of here!” Dagur shouted to her, nudging her towards the Skrill’s saddle.

She shook her head, dizzy with the effort. “No way!” She shoved him back just in time to dodge a jabbing spear. “We do this together! Berserker style!” She grinned at him, her eyes carrying a horrible finality. “Pity I never got to see your island rebuilt.” She added softly.

Dagur stared at her for several seconds, his expression a tormented mixture of gratitude and sorrow. He started to speak, but was stopped as a yellow and black blur whizzed overhead.

The Triple Stryke roared furiously as it soared over the Hunters and landed behind them, it’s three tails clicking ominously as he raised them for battle. With several frenzied movements, he dispatched the advancing Hunters, alternating his attacks between crushing claws and sharp stingers. As the final man fell he roared again, aiming his challenge to the men still clambering off the beached ship.

“It looks like you’ll still have that chance!” Dagur cheered as he approached their savior. “Well hello there Mister Triple Stryke! You certainly are full of surprises aren’t you?” He nodded appreciatively towards the dragon. “Dagur likes surprises!”

Tengan collapsed in an exhausted heap against Rumble’s side, a grateful smile on her face. “We owe you one!” She called out breathlessly to the dragon as she fumbled her way into Rumble’s saddle.

The Triple Stryke nodded it’s enormous head at the trio before extending it’s intertwined tails towards Dagur, it’s aber eyes alight with determination. When the Berserker hesitated he let out an encouraging coo while gesturing towards the final wave of Hunters.

Catching on, Dagur laughed as he grabbed on to the offered appendage and was lifted onto the dragon’s back. “Woohoohoo! We got this, bud!” He coaxed the Triple Stryke to stand guard in front of Tengan and Rumble. “Let us handle this, baby!” He called over his shoulder as the Hunters broke into a charge.

“Yeah… no problem….” Tengan panted from the saddle as she stroked Rumble’s trembling sides. The pair watched, impressed, as Dagur and the Triple Stryke mowed down the remaining attackers with surprising ease.

“Have I mentioned I love the tail?” Dagur complimented as three more Hunters fell to the stingers. “So sharp! So, destructive!” He laughed tauntingly as the Hunters who were still in fit condition to stand began to flee towards their ship as it hastily began to shove off.

“Hiccup!” Tengan cried out in relief as Toothless swooped overhead to join them, pausing long enough to aim a well deserved plasma blast at the retreating vessel.

“Brother!” Dagur hailed as the Night Fury and his rider landed among them.

“Thank Thor you two are alright.” Hiccup smiled in relief. “Everyone is safe. Viggo helped us get a Submaripper to attack the Shellfire. It’s driving it off as we speak.” He gestured towards Dagur, comfortably perched on the Triple Stryke’s back. “And it seems like you made a new friend.” 

“Seems so!” Dagur agreed. “Don’t you just love the tails? And that snapping sound?” He shuddered in delight. “Gives me goosebumps!”

“Where’s Shattermaster?” Hiccup questioned as he glanced over the pair again, his eyes drawn to the numerous cuts dotting them and Rumble.

“He was hit by a catapult.” Tengan spoke up. “I haven’t been able to look him over but Dagur thinks his wing might be broken.” She glanced over her shoulder at the boulder concealing the wounded Gronckle.

Hiccup started to respond when a deep rumbling shook the entire island. His head whipped up in the direction of their usually dormant volcano where he could make out a large, black plume of smoke rising from the peak. “Get Shattermaster back the Edge! Tengan, send for Gobber. He’ll be able to help.”

“Where are you going?” Dagur asked, his eyes glued to the smoldering peak.

“I have a feeling Fishlegs is in trouble.” Hiccup sighed before gesturing towards base. “Go brother, your dragon needs you.”

“Brother?!” Dagur grinned as he watched Hiccup and Toothless climb towards the volcano. “Did you hear that? He actually called me brother?” He slid from the Triple Stryke’s back and gave the dragon a firm, appreciative pat.

“Sure did.” Tengan smiled back as she joined him on the ground, slowly limping her way around the boulder to where Shattermaster was resting. She frowned as she caught sight of the crumpled wing and dark bruise along the ribs on his left side. She reached out to gently examine the injuries, flinching her hand back as the Gronkle whimpered in pain. “There’s no way he can fly back. How are we going to get him across the island?”

The Triple Stryke let out a long, warbling coo as he nudged his head against Dagur’s elbow. The Berserker chief stroked the large dragon’s head as he glanced around at the remnants of the battle on the beach. “It looks like the Hunters abandoned a net while they pathetically ran away.” He hoisted the net over one shoulder, easily dragging it over. “If we can get him on this, Rumble and Sleuther should be able to carry him back.”

“Sleuther?” Tengan asked with her head cocked as she helped Dagur arrange the net on the soft sand.

“Yeah, well, he needs a name right?” Dagur countered as he gave the Triple Stryke a scratch under his chin. “I’d say he’s more than earned a strong one. Like Sleuther.”

Tengan smiled and nodded as she watched her suitor gently coax his wounded Gronckle onto the net. “Sleuther it is.” Climbing back into the saddle, she had Rumble gently gather the loose sections of one side of the net in his claws as Dagur and Sleuther managed the other. Taking off towards the base, she winced every time poor Shattermaster cried out as the net jostled his broken wing.

In short order, the pair landed near Tengan’s hut, as, sadly, the stable seemed to have been burned down from the Shellfire’s attacks. As Dagur gently led Shattermaster into her thankfully still intact hut, Tengan tracked down the nearest Terrible Terror and scrawled a quick message to Gobber explaining Ryker had been defeated but his help was sorely needed to help treat a critically injured dragon.

As the small dragon desperately fluttered off in the general direction of Berk, Tengan glanced up as the other Riders, led by Heather, circled overhead and landed nearby. She waved up at them, grinning as relief surged through her. “Dagur!” She called into her hut, past the bulk of the two dragons blocking her way. “The others are back!”

“Be right there! Just making sure Shattermaster is settled!” He called back before emerging, his brow furrowed. “He’s doing alright for now but won’t be flying anytime soon.” He squeezed between Sleuther and Rumble, who seemed content to watch the Viking struggle over granting him passage.

Tenagn smiled reassuringly as she took his hand. “I’ve already sent word for Gobber. He should be here in a couple days. I’ll keep watch over him until then.” She promised as she led him back towards the main hall.

Dagur’s shoulders eased as he squeezed her hand, mindful not to crush it. “Thank you. He’s the best dragon a Berserker could ask for.” He flinched as Sleuther’s tail thudded into the back of his skull. “Ow! Ok ok, he is ONE of the best, happy?!” He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.

Tengan bit back a giggle. “It seems Sleuther’s willing to fill in for him for the time being. You and Heather will be able to get back to rebuilding your island soon enough with his help. Although…” she cleared her throat before stopping, her eyes drifting up to meet his. “I know you two need to get back to your people, but do you think you could stay one more night? I mean, you could both use more rest, not to mention poor Windshear, and well… I don’t want you to leave yet either.” She finally admitted. “Who knows how long it will be until we can see each other again?”

Dagur smiled down at her before bringing his free hand over to caress her cheek, mindful of the now scabbing cut. “I don’t want to leave you either. We’ll stay tonight, but tomorrow Heather and I have to get back. There’s a lot of work to be done.” He leaned in, planting a soft kiss on her battered lips. Pulling away, he grinned at the faint taste of her blood on his tongue. “Knew I made the right choice.” He asserted. “Seeing you fight like that earlier made my blood race!” His gaze hardened the longer he stared at her. “The way you take care of your friends and dragons when they need you, not to mention how you already gave the Berserkers hope when you and Rumble led the way off Berserker Isle. There’s no one else I would trust to watch over Shattermaster.” 

Tengan smiled back, ignoring the complaints of her cut cheek and split lip. “He’s the dragon of someone very special to me. I’d never let any ill befall him.” She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his for a brief moment before tugging him along once more. “Let’s go check in with the others. I can’t wait to hear all about the battle between the Submaripper and the Shellfire.”

Dagur chuckled, allowing her to drag him along the pathway. “And write about it.” He added teasingly as he produced a small scroll and charcoal pen he had grabbed from her hut.

Tengan giggled, her smile growing wider. “And write about it.” She agreed as they joined their battered, exhausted, but still standing friends waiting to celebrate their victory over the Hunters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PS: Yeah I know Tuffnut named Sleuther in the show but it seemed more apt to have his rider bestow the title instead. 
> 
> HEADS UP: Next chapter is "Something Rotten on Berserker Island" and a good chunk of what I have planned for it is the reason this fic is marked Mature. I will put another warning at the beginning as well as a quick summary at the bottom for anyone who would rather not read.


	22. A Pact Forged in Gronckle Iron*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Content warning for the end of this chapter. There is a very explicit scene between two characters so please skip over if that makes you uncomfortable. However it is at the very end so I highly recommend reading up to that point to avoid missing important plot points. I'll provide a quick synopsis of this chapter at the beginning of next week's for anyone who would rather skip it entirely.

The late afternoon sun streamed into the open window of Tengan’s hut, the warm beams resting on the young woman as she sat surrounded by a chaotic collection of open books and unrolled scrolls. Mostly caught up with her journals, the scribe was enjoying the freedom of being able to leave her works out on her desk as the ink dried without worrying a group of Hunters would come along to steal or destroy them. With the recent death of both Viggo and Ryker, the Riders had been enjoying their newest era of peace to its fullest.

“Peaceful” was probably the wrong word to use from an outsider’s perspective. While the Riders no longer feared being attacked by dozens of armed men, their adventures certainly weren’t tame by any stretch of the imagination. Tengan had had her arms full between nursing poor Shattermaster back to health while helping the others find the best way to seal the dozens of newly active lava flows that the Shellfire’s blasts had created. One of the scrolls currently on her desk detailed long lists of varying combinations they had attempted, finally ending with the simple phrase GRONCKLE IRON + DEATHSONG AMBER circled nearly a dozen times.

Fanned out around the books were scraps of small notes, hastily scribbled on the wing, as she and Rumble traveled further than the Riders had been able to do since the war had begun. One sheet of paper featured a crude sketch of a Sandbuster and was currently pinned to the wooden worktop with a small chunk of glass Hiccup had brought back from its den. Other notable pieces to the collection included relatively recent letters from Makara, one from Frewin detailing his recent run in with a surprisingly friendly Raincutter in the deep south, and countless love notes from Dagur.

The Rider smiled as she lifted one of the more recent notes to examine it for what must have been the fifth time that afternoon. The messy handwriting told of how the reconstruction of the island was nearly complete, thanks to the recent additions of stranded Vikings and one teasingly unnamed Apprentice. In their correspondence, he gushed on and on about how he was dying to show her the village properly this time around. His notes always ended with questions on Shattermaster’s progress and how much he appreciated her looking after him for the time being.

She smiled as she sat back, letting her eyes drift shut for a moment as she clutched the letter to her chest. Her thoughts drifted to the other romances blossoming on the island. It seemed Dagur’s unabashed interest and dedication to her had not gone unnoticed by the other young men. Hiccup and Astrid had finally made their relationship and betrothal officially known to the other Riders. No one had the heart to tell them it had been common knowledge for years at this point and they opted to politely gush over the lovely betrothal necklace Hiccup had crafted out of his father’s gift to his late mother. Fishlegs, ever the hopeless romantic, was now sending Heather nearly daily letters. The usually friendly flock of Terrible Terrors soon learned to feign sleep or flee when they saw him coming. Even Snotlout, deciding he was not to be left behind, had started pursuing a rather impassive Ruffnut in earnest. Although, he often still found the time to make casual passes at Tengan and Astrid when the situation arose. Only Tuffnut seemed unaffected by his fellow Riders' new infatuations. Although that could be his heart belonged to his beloved Chicken nowadays.

Opening her eyes again, her smile deepened as they landed on the latest scroll Dagur had sent her. Penned on heavier, studier paper, the back of the note displayed the Berserker crest while the front had a small, formal invitation written in exceptionally neat handwriting. Immediately upson sharing the news with the other Riders, Tengan had attached it to the wall above her desk with one of Stormfly’s shed barbs. Despite having memorized it’s contents the moment it arrived three days ago, she still found her gaze trailing along the short letter: 

The Berserkers cordially invite you to be their honored guests at the   
inaugural Berserker apprenticeship graduation ceremony.

Fishlegs, upon reading the invitation, had squealed at a pitch only Night Terrors should have been able to hear. For once his enthusiasm had trickled into the others. According to Hiccup, despite the longstanding treaty, it was rare for any Berkian to be invited to their shores. Tomorrow they would leave before the break of dawn. Thankfully, Shattermaster had healed well enough to join them, a little tidbit Tengan had kept to herself as she penned a quick acceptance to the invite on behalf of all the Riders. “Won’t he be surprised.” She whispered to the pair of dragons napping peacefully across her hut.

It had taken several weeks for the Gronckle’s wing to fully set. Several of the smaller, delicate bones had been cracked by the boulder along with three of the supporting ribs. It had taken both Gobber and Rumble to hold the poor thing steady while Tengan forced the wing back into its proper position. Thankfully, Shattermaster had forgiven the three of their transgressions after a few bribes of sandstone and granite.

Life in the scribe’s small hut with two fully grown dragons had been cramped, but thankfully, doable. Rumble had been surprisingly understanding of the situation and had shared his stone bed with no complaints. It was rather amusing to watch the pair attempt to sleep comfortably on the single bed while taking into account the smaller dragon’s splinted wing. They had finally established a rather odd system that seemed to work for the pair. Rumble would climb into bed first, his body curled around the outer edge of the slab. Once he had settled, Shattermaster would crawl into the small circle of space left in the center of the slab, spread his injured wing over the Skrill’s tail, and rest his head atop Rumble’s. The second or third night the two snuggled up in such a fashion, Tengan had stayed awake an extra hour or so to create a sketch of the adorably awkward display. It was currently displayed prominently over her bed, held in place by a discarded Night Terror tooth. Even though Shattermaster had been fully healed and free of his splint for over a week, the pair still seemed to prefer their odd arrangement. 

Laying down her quill before the almost empty inkwell, Tengan stretched her arms over her head as she cast the sleeping dragons a second glance. “I think you two have the right idea.” She murmured as she tiptoed across the hut and towards her bed. “We have an early day ahead of us tomorrow.” Tugging the fur over her head to block the waning sunlight, a small smile touched her lips. Before the next day came to an end, she’d be back in the arms of her wonderfully berserk suitor.

The following morning dawned with the group skirting above a heavy, low-hanging cloud bank. Tengan spent much of the flight sitting backwards in the saddle, her gaze fixated on Shattermaster as he fluttered behind her. “Comeon boy, you’re doing great!” She encouraged the Gronckle. “Dagur is going to be so happy to see you!” She grinned as the dragon perked up considerably at the sound of his Rider’s name.

“Looking good, Shattermaster!” Hiccup commented as He and Toothless soared past the wiggling Gronckle. “He seems really excited to be heading to Berserker Island.”

“He’s not the only one!” Fishlegs piped up. “Guys! Berserker Isle! I’m so excited to see where Heather comes from!” He squealed, his excited movements almost throwing him out of Meatlug’s saddle.

“And Dagur!” Hiccup added with an understanding smile. “You know, they say you can learn a lot about people by seeing their place of origin.”

“Really now?” Tengan chimed in as she spun around in the saddle to sit properly. “Well, you’ve all been to my homeland at least once. What did you learn about me?”

“That your obsession with writing everything down is hereditary.” Snotlout teased. “Although it was nice being treated with the respect and deference I clearly deserve.”

Astrid rolled her eyes before miming an exaggerated gag behind the Monstrous Nightmare rider’s back. “Oh please. Then why did you skip out on the hand to hand combat training session they offered you?” She smirked as she guided Stormfly closer.

Snotlout’s taunting smirk slipped into a childish pout. “I told you! My legs were still sore from flying for three days straight!”

“Well…” Tuffnut interjected as Barf and Belch raised their heads, offering the twins a slight height advantage over the group. “Legend has it the old nut family tree originated with the wild albino snow monkeys of the northern territories!”

The group laughed as Ruffnut let out several primal cries, her arms arching outward in an approximation of a hunched ape. She grinned as the chuckles died down. “I’m just excited for the party! Nothing like a good graduation celebration! I would know. Crashed more than my fair share back on Berk.”

“Well, thankfully, we aren’t crashing.” Hiccup interjected as the twins began their monkey calls again. “This is the first time we’ve ever been asked to Berserker Island! So, no matter how weird or Berserky it gets, just try to stay calm!”

“That’s not actually true, Hiccup.” Fishlegs corrected gently. “Tengan was there for a short while when the Shellfire was attacking.”

Tengan shrugged helplessly as the others turned to her. “Technically, yes, I was there. But the entire time was spent helping carry supplies down to the docks. And besides, what few buildings I did see were probably all destroyed and rebuilt. I’m just as new to this as you all are... Oh!” She added with a snap of her fingers. “There is one thing: dragons don’t like the main valley where the village was. The last time I was there we had to house them on a high hilltop well away from the village center.”

Hiccup cocked his head to the side, one hand coming up to rub his chin. “Really? I wonder what that’s all about. Maybe-”

“Enough talk! It’s time to be Berserk!” Tuffnut cheered as he and Ruffnut barreled through the group and below their cloud cover.

Playfully rolling her eyes, Tengan urged Rumble to dip into a shallow dive after them, checking over her shoulder to make sure Shattermaster copied the maneuver without difficulty. Her breath eased as the Gronckle leveled out with the others although she did not miss his slightly labored breathing. Turning her attention towards the approaching island, she gasped at the view. 

Large catapults topped several of the island’s surrounding sea stacks, their projectiles poised to launch at any potential threat. A bridge made of dozens of heavy logs stretched between the mainland and the largest, closest stack where a towering stone arch stood. Before the arch, a guard sat slumped at a scrubbed wooden table, his expression wholly unimpressed with the flock of dragons landing before him.

“Welcome to Berserker Island where dreams become realities.” he droned on as his eyes remained glued to the unrolled parchment resting on the table. “Names?”

Hiccup approached first, his arm looped around Astrid’s waist. “Uh, Haddock, Hiccup and Hofferson, Astrid.” He gave the guard a friendly smile. “We’re here for the ceremony.”

“Did not ask you that.” The guard yawned as he lazily gestured for the two to proceed. “Next.”

“Jorgenson, Snotlout” The stout viking announced as he paraded past the table, his head held high.

“Hold it!” The guard boomed, throwing his arm out to impede Snotlout’s progress. Lifting the list to his face, his eyes scrunched in concentration as he skimmed through the names. “Not on the list. The only Jorgenson I see is a Snot...hat?”

Snotlout snarled, drawing his arm back as his hand clenched into a fist. “That is not my name!” he growled, well aware the others were snickering into their hands.

Tengan stepped up quickly, placing a hand on Snotlout’s forearm. “Easy there.” She turned to the guard, smiling. “I think there’s been a simple mistranscription. I-”

The guard’s eyes lit up. “Hey, I know you. You’re the lass with the Skrill! Tengan Makarasdaughter, right?” A genuine smile and sense of energy filled his face.

Tengan blinked twice as she cocked her head to the side. “Yes! Rumble is my dragon. Forgive me, I don’t know who you-”

The guard waved her off. “You’d be hard pressed to remember. It was so dark.” Setting the scroll down he shifted his tunic aside, revealing scarred skin surrounding what appeared to be a chunk of shrapnel embedded in his right pectoral. “I’m Kralins. You and your dragon saved my life a few weeks back. We never would have made it to the ship if he hadn’t carried me there.”

Tengan’s eyes widened as she examined the clearly still healing wound. “Oh stars!” She gasped. “I’m so happy to hear you’re doing better. Were they unable to remove the metal?” She fought the urge to reach out and touch where the jagged edges melded with skin.

Kralins shook his head as he readjusted his clothing. “Nope. Melted to the skin. Burned worse than when I fell backside first into a campfire as a lad.” He chuckled warmly. “Ah well. The missus likes it. Says it gives me more ‘character’. If you have time during your stay we’d love to have you over. Thank you proper.”

Tengan’s smile widened as she nodded. “I would love that. It will be nice to-”

Snotlout, finally running out of patience, yanked his arm away from Tengan to glare at the pair. “If you’re all done being buddy-buddy could we maybe address how that’s NOT MY NAME ON THE LIST?”

Thankfully, the impatient Jorgenson was saved from what was shaping up to be a solid right hook from Kralins as Sleuther and Windshear soared overhead.

“You all made it!” Heather cried out, her eyes lingering on Fishlegs as she landed.

“Stand down, guard! Dagur commanded cheerfully. “They’re on my personal guest list.” He slid to the ground the second Sleuther landed, his eyes locked onto Tengan. “Hello there…” He purred, his eyebrows wiggling.

She smiled back, her eyes mischievous. “Before you greet me, I think there’s someone else who wants to see you.” With a wink, she sidestepped to reveal a panting, wriggling Gronckle.

“SHATTERMASTER!” Dagur roared with joy, spreading his arms out in greeting. “Come ‘ere boy! Come to Daddy!” He patted his thighs twice, laughing. He only had a moment to rethink the consequences of his action before he was flat on his back, his face endlessly assaulted as Shattermaster attempted to lick every free inch of skin he could find. “Hahaha! Good to see you boy! Did you behave yourself for our girl? Hmm?” Wrenching his hands free from under his dragon’s bulk, he scratched rough circles under Shattermaster’s chin. 

Tengan suppressed a giggle. “He was a true gentledragon the entire time.” After another moment she gave Shattermaster a gentle shove off of Dagur before helping the downed chief to his feet. 

“And hello to you too.” Dagur smirked as he snaked his arms around her waist.

“Oh no you don’t!” Tengan cried out as she pressed her hands against his chest, arching her back to keep away from his face. “Not while you’re sticky with dragon spit! Go dunk your head in the ocean, THEN I’ll kiss you.”

Dagur’s shoulders drooped with exaggerated disappointment as he glanced behind Tengan to the others. “I hope there were no problems getting here.” He smiled as he tugged the curly haired Rider flush against his chest, a chuckle vibrating through him as she squealed in disgust.

“No, none at all! It was a surprisingly easy trip” Astrid chimed in as she embraced Heather in greeting.

“Right up until the time my name wasn’t on the list!” Snotlout sneered as he gestured back towards Kralins.

Dagur reluctantly released his captured companion with an embellished shrug. “It wasn’t? Oh heavens!” Walking over to the guard, he glanced down at the list of pre-approved visitors. His grin returned as Kralins brought him up to speed with a few quick whispers. Bursting into laughter, he handed the scroll back. “Oh! I am so sorry about that. I’m usually dead on with names, Snotpocket.” He drew out the mangled name, smirking as the Jorgenson bristled.

Tengan, sensing an altercation, hurried forward to place her hand on Dagur’s shoulder. “Hey, so where are we heading for the graduation? I can’t wait to see how everything looks after you’ve rebuilt.”

Dagur turned on his heel, his eyes bright. “We’re headed right to the center of town. To your dragons! For the most Berserk tour you’ve ever seen!” He made to walk past Tengan and back to his waiting dragons. Pausing at the last second, he quickly turned and tugged the young woman towards him for a brief kiss.

Tengan flailed in the embrace, only managing to break after her captor had stolen half a dozen quick kisses. Before she could do more than glare, the Berserker chief had already scrambled onto Shattermaster’s back and had taken off. “I’ll get you back for that!” She roared after him as she trotted over to Rumble. Catching sight of Astrid and Heather laughing, she stuck her tongue out at the pair, only to gag and immediately regret the action as it let the taste of fish and iron into her mouth. “Oh, shut up you two!” She playfully snapped at the girls as they doubled over in hysterics.

As the group finally made their way into the air, Tengan settled herself on Shattermaster’s right side, directly across from Sleuther, who seemed to be enjoying flying with a large flock once again. The Triple Stryke dove and twisted among the other dragons, pausing once or twice to playfully pinch at Toothless’ tail.

“As you will undoubtedly see for yourselves,” Dagur began in a carrying voice as they flew over a large swatch of forest. “The Berserker landscape is only outdone in its majesty by the Berserker people.” He waved to a group of men huddled around a small target training field surrounded by a clump of thick pines.

“Hey Dagur?” Hiccup began, his voice strained. “Is that Savage?” He pointed to the smallest of the men down below.

Tengan, who had been hurriedly sketching the outline of a rudimentary map, flinched at the mention of the Dragon Hunter. She glared down at the ground, partly towards the man who had given her the scar that still protruded from her hairline down to her eye, and partly at the new charcoal pencil that had tumbled to the earth as her grip faltered.

“Yup!” Dagur called back, twisting to face Hiccup. Sensing the uneasy shift in Shattermaster’s balance, he quickly adjusted his weight to help the Gronckle. “Got the band back together. YO SAVAGE!” He roared down to the group below, grinning as the men waved back. “A lot of the Hunters came here after Viggo and Ryker bit the dust.” He added after catching the confused and shocked expressions of the other Riders.

Tengan bit her bottom lip, her brow furrowing. “Dagur, how could you let them come here? After all they’ve done?” She spun in the saddle, loath to turn her back on the men that had nearly killed her and her friends on multiple occasions.

Heather coaxed Windshear towards the head of the formation. “I said the same thing at first. But, so far, they’ve been excellent help. We never would have finished rebuilding this quickly without them.”

“If I can come around, they deserve a chance too.” Dagur explained as he lovingly scratched Shattermaster’s sides. “A lot of them followed Viggo simply because he threatened to have them killed if they disobeyed. It wasn’t an idle threat either.”

Tengan glanced between the two siblings, her unease still rolling through her. Finally, and with a heavy sigh, she nodded. “I suppose you’re right.” As the flock banked around the island’s central mountain, she was almost thrown as Rumble bucked. “Ah! I almost forgot about this!” She shrieked as she tried to hold onto the saddle with one hand while stuffing the unfinished map in her saddle bag with the other.

“Woah! Easy, Bud, easy!” Hiccup unsuccessfully coaxed a writhing Toothless.

“Our dragons are still having trouble adjusting!” Heather called out as they circled around the outskirts of town. “Tengan, you remember where the stables used to be right?”

“Yeah” The dark skinned woman mused as she massaged her dragon’s neck. “Atop that grassy hill near the village.”

Dagur sighed heavily. “That location is currently under several Shellfire shells. The only place we could rebuild was up there!” He pointed up on a remote cliff overlooking the village. “Having them sleep up there keeps the dragons much calmer. Not sure why.”

“Maybe, they’re just reacting to being around all of this crazy Berserkedness!” Tuffnut hollered as he and Ruff zoomed past the others and towards the cliffside stable.

As the group landed, Tengan sidled over to where Shattermaster and Sleuther were enjoying scratches from their rider. “How was he on the flight up?” She asked gently. “I noticed he had a hard time balancing when you turned around.”

Dagur frowned slightly as he nudged the two dragons into the open barn. “He’s not back to being one hundred percent yet, is he?”

Tengan shook her head, her frown mirroring his. “No. The bones in his wing took a long time to heal. Gobber thinks he might not ever make a full recovery. He was even a bit winded just flying from the Edge, and that was without any passengers.” Her expression softened as she glanced into the stable where the pair were gently playing. “Glad to see Sleuther isn’t the jealous type.” Her gaze traveled around the inside of the building. “Did you remove the stall doors?”

“And added a second floor.” Heather piped up as she led Windshear inside. “After you and Rumble had a hard time getting out quickly last time we made a few changes.”

Dagur approached Tengan, holding his hand out. “Want to see Rumble’s new stall?” He asked in a sing-songy voice.

Tengan took his hand with a small smile before whistling to her dragon. The pair let the excited Skrill thunder in through the open door before following. Her head craned back to absorb every little detail of the newer structures; from the wooden frames designed to hold saddles not currently in use to the rows of slightly smaller stalls on the second floor. “You’ve outdone yourselves.” 

Dagur squeezed her hand as he pointed to a pair of stalls towards the back. “Rumble’s is right back here across from- what the?” His head cocked to the side in utter confusion as he caught sight of Rumble and Shattermaster crammed together in the same stall.

Tengan doubled over laughing, her hand slipping from Dagur’s as she steadied herself. “This is what I was telling you about in my letters! They’ve been sleeping like that for weeks now.” She grinned as she reached out to scratch Sleuther under his chin. Apparently the Triple Stryke had evolved into quite the attention hog since pairing with Dagur. “Yes hello handsome.” She cooed at the large dragon. “It’s good to see you too.”

“So uh, Dagster...” Snotlout began as he finished settling Hookfang in an unclaimed stall. With a relaxed laugh, he propped himself up against a nearby wall.

“Dagur.” The Berserker chief corrected with a deadpan tone. “It’s Dah-Gur. No S, no T.”

“Yeah, no no no, I know.” Snotlout deflected casually. “I was just messing around-” His reply was cut short as Sleuther raised his braided tail, the joints snapping the stingers took aim at the shorter Rider. His eyes widening, he took a step back, placing a bit more space between himself at the irritated Triple Stryke. “So Dagur, the Berserker Apprenticeship program. What’s all that about? Why would you want to be one? Answer all my questions.”

Tengan soothed the wound up Sleuther with gentle strokes under his left wing joint until Dagur sent the dragon to his stall with a subtle hand gesture. “I’ve actually been meaning to ask you about that too.” She chimed in, withdrawing a small journal and extra charcoal pencil from a specialized pocket in her shirt. “You’ve been purposely avoiding explaining it in your letters.” She teased lightly.

“It’s not just an apprenticeship, Snothole.” He glared at the Rider before turning his attention to Tengan, his gaze immediately softening. “It’s THE apprentice. A Berserker apprentice. We spent months combing the region for the baddest, smartest, craziest viking in and outside the archipelago!” His voice dropped slightly as his hands found their way to Tengan’s hips once again. “Seeing as you’re already a future Berserker baby, we had to disqualify you from the candidates. Otherwise there would have been no competition.”

Tengan rolled her eyes playfully, stowing her mini journal away once more. “And who says I’m a future Berserker? I still haven’t actually said yes, you know.” She leaned in, placing a gentle peck on his still slightly sticky nose.

“Ok so before you get lost in each other’s eyes!” Snotlout interrupted. “Who was it? Do we know them?”

Dagur’s playful grin faltered for just a moment as he reluctantly released Tengan to face Snotlout once more. “Do you know him?” With a wave, he led the small group back outside the stable. “Come on out boy!” He hollered to the treeline behind the large building. “Reveal yourself and your many skills and talents!” He turned to face the captivated group of Riders. “The first Berserker apprentice to ever grace this crazy land. I present to you…”

A familiar roar filled the air as an exceptionally lanky teen flew over the trees and into view on a young Monstrous Nightmare. Atop his head sat a helmet adorned with horns nearly as tall as he was. “That’s right! A-Gustav!” He announced to the stunned audience before him.

“Gustav?!” Hiccup, Astrid, Ruff and Tuff exclaimed in unison.

“Gustav!” Dagur confirmed with a small flourishing wave of his hand. “The super Berserker apprentice.”

Tengan quite literally bit her tongue until the young teen had dismounted and was well out of earshot stabling Fanghook. “Dagur?” She asked delicately. “Gustav?” She questioned, honestly at a loss for anything more eloquent. 

The Berserker chief glanced quickly at the Riders, double checking none were close enough to overhear before bending low to whisper in her ear. “Stoick needed a break so I created the program to give Gustav something to do for a few weeks.” He gave her waist a small squeeze. “Don’t tell the little guy, alright? As much as he drives me up the wall... he’s grown on me. Couldn’t bear the shatter his confidence. It does things to a man.”

Tengan gave him a warm smile. “Your secret’s safe with me.” She promised, lost in the sudden rush of increased affection she felt. “One more thing.” It was her turn to whisper. “Why do you insist on mangling Snotlout’s name? We both know you remember it.”

Dagur’s eyes glinted mischievously. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Snotdrip and I are great friends.”

Before Tengan could do more than gently elbow Dagur in the ribs, she was distracted by Gustav strutting back out into the open, flashing a cocky smirk. “As Dagur was saying,” He began with a bow towards the chief. “It seems some people actually appreciate the Guster and relish in the qualities he brings to an apprenticeship program! It’s almost like I was born to be Berserk.”

“I don’t understand.” Snotlout stred, mouth slightly agape at the young rider.

“I didn’t either at the beginning, Snotnose.” Dagur responded. Releasing Tengan he strode up to his young apprentice and slung a heavy arm across the smiler boy’s shoulders. “I thought, who could possibly live up to the high standards that I, in particular, would demand of an apprentice?” Twisting his neck to glance over his shoulder at Tengan, he winked. “Besides, of course, the most obvious choice.” Clearing his throat, he turned back to address the others. “This guy!” He thumped Gustav on the chest with his free hand. “He’s been studying Berserker history, learning all the Berserker songs-”

“And I’ve been practicing all the Berserker fighting techniques!” Gustav finished, pulling away from Dagur to grab an abandoned spear leaning against the side of the stable. Clumsily, he spun the weapon in his hands, nearly dropping it on several occasions.

Tengan’s eyes narrowed as she glanced between Dagur and Snotlout, noticing how the former seemed elated the more the latter stammered in utter confusion. “Is that your game then?” She mumbled quietly to herself, a smirk playing on her lips. “Hey, Gustav!” She trotted past Dagur, waving at the younger Viking. “Since you’ve been here for so long, and clearly mastered so much, would you mind giving me the tour?” She withdrew the journal from her shirt pocket once more, eyes sparkling with interest.

“O-Oh!” Gustav stammered, a light blush on his crawling up his neck. “Sure!” He coughed several times, trying desperately to deepen the tone of his voice. 

“Oh I’m going to be sick.” Snotlut growled in an all-too carrying whisper as he fell in line behind the rest of the group.

“Everyone choose a buddy!” Gustav called over his shoulders as he started down the nearest path towards the village. “Don’t want anyone getting lost!”

Tengan glanced over her shoulder and gave Heather a playful wink. Catching Dagur’s surprised gaze, she smirked before trotting off after Gustav. As the boy spoke she mimed her usual meticulous note taking, although she was careful never to let the pencil mar the pages. Some of the “fun facts” as Gustav coined them, were way too outlandish to ever be true. Apparently, the boy had decided rather than let the villagers trade or sell their produce at their own stalls, that everyone was going to group their offerings in one large, windowless shed dubbed a “Wal-Market”. One glance at the disgruntled traders milling about nearby told her all she needed to know about how the Berserkers felt about that idea.

As she continued to shadow the young apprentice, she remained hyper aware of Dagur hovering nearby. Every time he attempted to glance over her shoulder to peek at her notes she would abruptly shift her stance or run off to “closely inspect” a building or item. It was only when Gustav continued onwards from his crude Skrill topiary om display near the “Wal-Market”, that Tengan hung back under the guise of wanting to recreate it in sketch form. “Your little apprentice seems to have learned quite a few… shall we say ‘interesting’ skills during his stay.” She spoke evenly, not bothering to turn to face Dagur as he approached.

“Well,” he began, a definite note of irritation in his voice. “I hope you haven’t completely filled your journal with all that nonsense. Only one of every three or four sentences were actually correct.” he huffed. “I swear it’s in one ear and out the other with that boy.”

Tengan turned to face the pouting Berserker, a gentle smile on her face. “He’s a much better student when Fanghook is around to help him focus.” She held up her still empty journal, her smile widening as she caught his shocked expression. “And you’re much too easy to fluster. Never would have taken you for the jealous type.” She teased lightly as she stowed her untouched journal. Glancing around to make sure the others were still distracted by Gustav’s tour, she returned her attention to the man before her. “Care to explain why you’re still messing with Snotlout? If not I’m sure Gustav wouldn’t mind teaching me more about your island….”

Dagur growled as he closed the distance between them. “You are a horrible tease, you know that?” He smirked. “Like I said, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He murmured airily as one arm came up to rest on her hip, effectively blocking her from leaving.

Tengan huffed as she playfully glared back. “This has nothing to do with how Snotlout has always been a merciless flirt? Like I said, never pegged you as the jealous type. It doesn’t suit you.”

Dagur chuckled. “Maybe only a little.” he admitted quietly. “I can’t help it. I barely get to see you as it is. Need to make sure that Snotbucket knows his place.” He leaned in for a kiss, his eyes closing.

Tengan rolled her eyes as she pressed her hands against his chest, desperately trying to ignore the fluttering in her chest. “Still not kissing you until you wash your face.” She smiled at his indignant pout. “Also, you forget I’ve put Snotlout on his back in sparring practice more times than either of us can count. You’ve got nothing to worry about.” Twisting out of his grip, she laced her fingers with his. “Let’s go catch up before Gustav realizes we’ve fallen behind. I don’t think any of the others could take it if he had to repeat himself.”

The short tour ended with the group filing into a large stone arena. Rows of benches faced an elevated wooden stage; several enormous tapestries depicting ferocious battles lined the rear of the platform while nearly three dozen uniquely painted shields framed its front edge. A wide throne, forged from old swords and axes, sat facing the crowd from the exact center of the structure. Tengan fought the urge to snicker at the sight of the seat; it was so perfectly Dagur, she couldn’t imagine him holding council from any other chair. Perched on the foremost center bench in the arena, squarely between Heather and Gustav, she idly sat, loosely sketching Dagur reclining in the ornate throne as droves of villagers filed in. While she smiled and waved at Kralins and who she assumed was his wife, her smile fell as several ex Dragon Hunters stalked into the arena. Most of them seemed content to stand along the back edge of the arena despite the numerous open spaces on the benches, a sign that sent chills running up Tengan’s spine. She was so preoccupied with the Hunter’s she failed to notice when Dagur stood and cleared his throat in an attempt to capture the audience’s attention.

“SHUT UP!” The Berserker chief roared over the chatting crowd, his expression softening immediately as he caught Tengan’s doe-eyed stare of surprise. Giving her an apologetic smile, he began to pace the length of the stage. “It is in times like these that I am reminded of something my great uncle Haggard used to say: There we were three against a thousand…. Toughest three we ever fought.”

Tengan smiled to herself as Dagur and Gustav seemed to be the only two in stitches over the joke. She made a mental note to ask him the full story behind it later.

Dagur, finally recovering, cleared his throat. “Anywho, today is about one man. One man who I’m going to miss as his apprenticeship comes to a sad, but beautiful end. There will be a huge hole here” he gestured towards the island's distant shores “and a bigger hole, here.” He placed one hand over the center of his chest. Smiling at the gentle applause from the crowd, he continued. “And that man is none other than-” His words died in his throat as two villagers, ex Hunters to be more precise, grabbed hold of his wrists and shoulders, forcing him down to his knees.

Tengan stiffened, the hairs on her neck standing on end. “Heather?” She hissed out of the corner of her mouth. “What’s going on?” A quick glance around the arena showed several of the men who chose to remain standing were slowly closing in on the sitting villagers. Her expression twisted with fury as Savage strode out across the stage to press a sword to Dagur’s throat.

“Savage?” Dagur asked almost casually as he twisted in the men’s hold. “What in Thor’s name do you think you’re doing?”

“Something I should have done a long time ago.” The Hunter snarled, his expression dark. “I’m taking control.” His eyes flicked up to the Riders occupying the front row. “SEIZE THEM!”

Tengan, a vicious snarl on her face, made a frenzied lunge for the stage, only to be stopped as Heather caught the back of her shirt. “Let me go!” She roared, straining towards the captured Berserker.

“Are you insane?!” Heather yelled back as she shoved the still straining Tengan towards the exit. “There’s way too many of them at the moment! We need to get out of here and regroup!” Releasing her friend, she upturned a bench, knocking it into the shins of several approaching Hunters.

“Finally!” Tuffnut cried out, his grin manic. “Something Berserk!” He made an attempt to join the fray but was stopped as Ruffnut dragged him towards the exit of the arena by his hair.

Tengan gave the stage one last look, her eyes momentarily locking with Savage’s. With a groan of frustration she turned away, rolling just in time to avoid a lunging Hunter grabbing at her arm. Breaking into a dead sprint, she followed her friends through the town and back along the long, winding path towards the stables.

“Arghhh!” Hiccup cried out in frustration, glancing over his shoulder towards the distant but still pursuing Hunters. “Toothless!” he hollered up towards the cliff face. 

“Meatlug!” Fishlegs cried out between heavy breaths. “Meatlug!!” he cried again, cupping a hand over his mouth to project his call. “I don’t understand, Hiccup. Why won’t they come?”

“Someone must have locked them in the stables.” Heather answered as she briefly checked over her shoulder.

“What about Dagur?” Tengan called out to the group as she paced herself alongside Gustav. “We can’t just leave him back there!” The image of Savage holding a sword to his throat flashed through her mind, sending a wave of fear grasping at her chest.

“We need our dragons.” Astrid asserted as she slowed to a halt, resting her hands on her thighs. 

“Astrid’s right.” Hiccup added as he slowed to a stop, his eyes trained on the path behind them as he kept an eye out for the Hunters. “We’re way outnumbered.”

Heather nodded. “Then follow me, I know somewhere we can hide. They won’t be able to follow us.” Without another word she crashed into the dense underbush, leaving the others to scramble after her. After several sharp, zig-zagging turns she skidded to a halt in front of a large rock face. “In there! Quickly!” She pointed to a crack in the rocks just big enough for the teens to squeeze through.

Hiccup waited until all the others had slipped in before carefully peeking back out. He held his breath as, in the near distance, angry shouts filled the air before slowly fading away. “It’s clear, for now.” He whispered to the group.

Heather slammed her fist into the nearest cave wall. “A coup? Really? How did this happen? We were finally back on track!” 

Gustav threw his hands up defensively, covering his face. “Don’t look at me!” He squeaked. “I had nothing to do with it!”

Heather forced her shoulders to ease. “I wasn’t looking at you, Gustav. I know you would never be involved in something like this.”

“We all know it was Savage and his Hunter buddies.” Tengan spat, her arms crossed over her chest. “The question is: how are we going to take the island back and rescue their captives. A lot of villagers were in the arena when they sprung their trap.”

“I agree.” Hiccup placed a comforting hand on the curly haired Rider’s shoulder. “We need to act. And fast. Tengan, you, me, Astrid, Heather, and Fishlegs are going to go get the dragons.” He let his arm slide off her shoulder as he addressed the group. “Snotlout and Gustav? Go see if you can get a bead on Dagur and Savage. Keep an eye out for the other Berserkers as well.”

Tengan shook her head as she began to walk across the cave. “You have enough Riders going after the dragons. I’m going with Snotlout and Gustav.”

Hiccup crossed in front of her, his arms held up to stop her. “No. You’re too worked up. If I let you go with them you might end up being captured and that won’t do anyone any good. You’re better off with us.”

Heather, sensing the rising frustration in her friend, quickly stepped in. “Hey,” she spoke softly as she touched Tengan’s arm. “Trust me, I want to go down there and tear those Hunters apart just as much as you do. But Hiccup’s right.” She smiled gently. “Besides, this is Dagur we’re talking about. You really think Savage is a match for him?”

Tengan glared at the opening in the cave wall for several seconds before nodding stiffly. “You have a point.” She turned to stare evely at Snotlout and Gustav. “Try not to get yourselves injured alright? I didn’t bring any medicinal herbs with me this time.”

Heather’s smile widened as she addressed the small rescue team. “Savage probably has him in a cell. Fastest way to the prison is through the maze of caves under the island. You can reach them if you continue through this tunnel.” She pointed into the dark abyss lurking behind the sheltering group.

Tuffnut glanced back and forth at the two groups as Snotlout and Gustav disappeared into the cave. “Wait, what about us?” He piped up, apparently oblivious to both group’s hesitant facial expressions.

“Clearly we are meant to offer a distraction where needed.” Ruffnut answered. “You know, what we’re best at.”

“Uh, sure!” Hiccup asserted in a slightly pitchy voice. “Now, come on. The sooner we act, the better for everyone.”

Tengan followed the others out of the cave and back into open. Silently, the group crept through the trees and up a steep, rocky hill that overlooked the stables. Laying flat on her belly in between Hiccup and Ruffnut, she frowned as she counted no less than six guards milling about in front of the closed stable door. “Ok, so how are we going to handle this?”

“I say we take them on!” Fishlegs growled as he slammed a fist on the hard packed earth. Catching the shocked faces of his friends, he smiled sheepishly. “What? My Meatlug is in there…”

Astrid shook her head in mild disbelief as she observed the situation. “I’ve got nothing at the moment, what were you thinking?” She turned to Hiccup and Heather.

“We were thinking.” Tuffnut interjected. “That this is the perfect moment for a distraction. Shall we sister?” He stood and bowed to his twin.

“We shall.” Ruffnut agreed as she stood and mirrored the move. Before any of the others could do more than blink, she and Tuff had made their way down the steep hillside to approach the guards head on. “My good gentlemen!” She called out. “Perhaps you could settle a little disagreement of ours.” She cleared her throat before rapidly spinning her brother until he resembled a fair-haired whirlwind. “Would any of you be willing to call this a legal battle tactic?”

“Guess that’s our cue!” Hiccup whispered as the final few guards turned to watch the unorthodox display. Gesturing to the others to follow, he led a crouched and silent charge to the stable. As Ruffnut knocked her still spinning twin into the first pair of Hunters, he released the locking mechanism on the large metal door. “Oh hey.” He waved as the other guards turned towards the sound. “How's it going?”

Tengan crouched next to Heather and Astrid on the other end of the door, smirking as several sets of snarling, gnashing teeth emerged from the dark interior framed by a faint cloud of strange purple gas. “They must have sedated the dragons!” She cried out to the other girls as Toothless and Shattermaster charged the Hunters. “That’s why they couldn’t hear us.”

“Well it looks like they’re awake now.” Astrid remarked casually as she watched Sleuther and Stormfly back a pair Hunters off the edge of the cliff. “If they survive that fall it’s definitely going to leave a mark.”

“They probably will. There’s a thorn thicket about fifteen feet down.” Heather smirked as Windshear and Rumble’s collective roar sent the final Hunters running back down the path.

Tengan smiled in mild relief as she ran over to her Skrill. “Thank the stars you’re alright.” She whispered as she rubbed behind the spines framing his head. A worried frown slid back into place as Shattermaster and Sleuther approached, cooing questioningly. “Dagur’s not with us.” She placed her hands on their snouts. “Savage and a few of his men have him captive back in the village.” She glanced between the trio of dragons before her. “We really need your help. I know you don’t like flying over the village but we don’t have any other choice.”

Hiccup, already several steps ahead, was already settled in Toothless’ saddle. “I’m going to see how close we can get!” He called out to the group before taking off. They made it nearly halfway between the cliff and the arena before Toothless began to buck wildly in the air, crying out in clear discomfort. Groaning in frustration, Hiccup turned back and let the Night Fury land on the cliff once more. “It’s no use. I’ve never seen him this out of control.”

“Who would have thought,” Tuffnut began, clearly amused by the situation. “That on Berserker Isle, the people would be normal and the dragons crazy?!” He laughed, throwing his head back with the effort.

Ignoring the twins, Fishlegs began glancing around as if the answer to their problem lay nestled in the grass. “Perhaps the dragons are allergic to something on the island? Maybe some obscure piece of flora. There may be a kind of wild Dragon Root around here.” He began to pace. “I could take some samples-”

“Look” Heather cut across him impatiently. “We don’t have time to figure this out. Dagur is in danger! Our whole island is in danger!” She clung to Windshear, her shoulders heaving.

Tengan gave the trio of dragons a quick pat before approaching her stressed friend. “Hey.” She stared softly, struggling to keep her own anxiety from coloring her voice. “It’s like you said. This is Dagur we’re talking about.” She attempted what she hoped was a reassuring smile despite the nervous tension making the depression almost painful.

“Well I hope Snotlout and Gustav haven’t gotten themselves into anything too insane.” Astrid sighed as she stared down towards the village. “Who knows what kind of trouble they could be in after being left unchecked.”

Hiccup dismounted and pulled out his spyglass. Focusing on the area near the island’s prison, a deep sigh escaped as he shook his head. “Savage’s men are everywhere.” He placed the spyglass back into his bag. “We can’t risk taking the dragons into battle if they’re going to lose control once we get close.”

Tengan and Heather locked eyes for a moment. An unspoken spark passed between the pair before the scribe trotted away to retrieve her sword from her saddlebag. Unsheathing the weapon, she smirked at her dark-haired companion. “You ready?” 

Heather nodded back, a dark smile on her lip as she retrieved her Razorwhip scale axe. “I was born ready.” Raising her voice, she addressed the group. “I’m a Berserker, Hiccup. Dragon or no dragon, I’m bringing back my brother.” Her smile deepened as the other Riders readied their weapons.

“Lead the way.” Tengan bowed slightly, gesturing towards the now deserted path back towards the village square. Crouching low to avoid making any unnecessary noise, she followed the group back. They traveled as quickly as they dared, only having to dart behind cover twice as Hunters sprinted past. “Something’s wrong. All of the Hunters have been running into the village. Assuming the guards tipped them off, shouldn’t they be running towards the stables?”

“She’s right.” Astrid agreed in an equally low whisper. “What if-” the rest of her sentence was cut off as a loud chorus of angry cries rang out from the village. “There’s your answer! Let’s go!” Tearing from cover, she sprinted down the last stretch of hill, axe raised overhead.

“I’ve been waiting for this all day!” Tuffnut cheered as he broke through the underbrush, waving a stolen spear. With a chaotic cry he bolted past Astrid, barely managing to stay on his feet as he hit the bottom of the hill.

“Shall we?” Heather grinned at Tengan as she gestured towards their charging companions.

“What would he ever do without us?” The dark-skinned rider responded as she readied her own weapon. With matching cries, she and Heather broke from the treeline to join the fray. Apparently, Snotlout and Gustav had created quite the useful distraction. The Hunters guarding the unarmed villagers in the arena were quickly being pushed back by the angry hoard of Berserkers. Those currently unoccupied with the island’s residents were struggling to hold their own against the RIders. Tengan made a mental note never to get on Fishlegs’ bad side after she watched him deck a Hunter that had backed Heather into a corner.

Tengan soon found herself face to face with three Hunters well away from the rest of her group. Aware of her disadvantage, she backed away slowly, her sword raised to chest level. “I’d back down if I were you.” She warned, eyes flicking between each of the men. 

“And why is that?” The center Hunter sneered as he began to close the gap. “You’re outnumbered.”

Tengan eyes flicked to just beyond the trio, spotting Heather, Astrid, and Hiccup as they sprinted over. Returning her gaze to the Hunters, she smiled. “Are you sure about that?” With a roar, she lunged forward as her friends sprang from behind. Several seconds and bashed heads later, she stood glaring down her nose at the unconscious traitors. “Where to next?” She asked as she walked over one Hunter, making sure to step on his fingers as she passed.

Heather gestured to the arena. “Savage and a few men ran in when the rest of my people broke out.” She had to shout to be heard over the din. “I say we end this.”

“I second that.” Hiccup called out as he picked up the pace once more, calling to the other Riders as they ran past. Their ranks reformed, the group sprinted into the opening, immediately fanning out to surround the front end of the stage.

Tengan glared darkly up at Savage as he hastily vacated Dagur’s throne. With deft movements, she, along with Ruffnut and Tuffnut, knocked a pair of Hunters aside as they slowly closed in on the leader of the coup. As the final Hunter fell to a well placed blow by Fishlegs’, Tengan gasped as she caught sight of Heather being held hostage by Savage.

“Stand down! All of you!” he cried, pressing his naked sword to Heather’s throat. A murderous cackle escaped him as the Riders reluctantly obeyed. “Here's what’s going to happen. You lot are going to march yourself into the prison or this one-” He never had a chance to finish the threat. A pair of frenzied cries from high above the arena drew all eyes upward. Spotting the pair of vikings swinging towards him, he only had a couple seconds to register the boot rushing towards his face before he was knocked out.

Tengan cheered as she watched Snotlout and Dagur swing down into the arena from the overlooking cliff. He smile morphed into an exasperated sigh as she watched the Berserker chief land neatly in his throne, his legs casually dangling over one arm. “And just where have you two been? You missed all the fun!” She teased as relief washed over her.

Snotlout grinned as he stood with one boot planted on the unconscious Savage’s back. “We were just saving all your butts!” He crowed, fists planted firmly on his hips.

Dagur gave a chuckle and a small shrug as he laced his fingers behind his head, still haphazardly slouching in his throne. “Why? Did you miss us?” He winked at the flustered Tengan before finally standing, shielding his face from the setting sun as he glanced towards the horizon. “If we hurry we can have this lot caged and still have time for the Graduation Feast. What do you guys say?” He jumped off the stage and onto the arena floor, his arms spread wide.

“I could go for a feast after today!” Ruffnut responded enthusiastically as she yanked a still dazed Hunter to his feet. 

Tengan huffed as she approached Dagur, sheathing her sword in the process. “There’s never a dull day when I’m with the chief of the Berserkers.” With a smirk, she grabbed hold of his breastplate and tugged, pulling him in for a kiss, not even minding the faint taste of Gronckle still present on his lips.

Cleanup took less time than any of the Riders had anticipated. Most of the Berserkers had taken Savage’s betrayal quite personally and were more than happy to help throw all of his men into the newly finished prison. As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, all damaged items had been cast aside to be dealt with later and the arena had been transformed. Torches either hung from the stone walls or were placed on poles staked at regular intervals into the ground. The rows of benches were now centered around a dozen or so long tables. The tables themselves were laden with mountains of amazing meats, roasted roots, pies, and sweets. Along the front edge of the stage, barrels of mead and ale were balanced with an endless stream of vikings milling about the drinks as they continuously refilled their horns and steins. After everyone had had their second drink of choice, Dagur ascended the stage once more to address the crowd.

“Ahem.” He cleared his throat, sighing as, once again, the motion was lost on the chatty crowd. “SHUT UP!” He roared again, his polite smile returning as all other noise died down. Reaching down, he lifted a heavy golden bust carved into his own likeness. Holding it at chest level, he continued. “This trophy belongs to the most deserving viking in the land A viking that exemplified what it truly means to be a Berserker.” His eyes locked on Gustav’s as the boy began winding through the crowd towards the stage. “Unfortunately it’s not you Gusthat.” Motioning towards the back of the arena, his smile widened as he spotted one particular Rider. “Snotlout! Get up here and take what’s rightfully yours!”

Snotlout, already three steins of ale in, all but ran to the stage and vaulted up onto the deck. Taking the trophy from Dagur, he held it aloft, a sloppy smile stretched across his face. “Oh my Thor!” He cried out, the beginning of tears prickling at the corners of his eyes as the crowd boomed their approval. “You like me! You really like me!”

Tengan laughed along with her friends as Snotlout misjudged the end of the stage and stumbled off it on his way back to them. Currently on her third horn of mead herself, she was rather enjoying the warm buzz of heat in her stomach and cheeks. Reaching for another sweet dough ball covered in honey, she failed to notice Dagur approaching until he plopped down onto the bench beside her.

“Come with me for a minute.” He whispered into her ear as he slid one arm around her waist. “There’s something I want to show you.” He squeezed her hip. “No one will even notice we’re gone.” He urged, his voice needy.

Tengan took a moment to polish off her treat before glancing around at her friends as she sucked the remnants of honey from her fingers. Astrid and Hiccup were busy dancing, Tuffnut was currently entertaining a group of Berserkers with a joke, Snotlout was shoving his trophy in the face of a very unamused Ruffnut, and Fishlegs was off in a secluded corner with Heater, their hands locked together as they shared a hushed conversation. “Alright.” She conceded with a smile as she stood. “Where to?”

Dagur grinned as he stood to join her. “Right this way, my lady.” He purred, offering his arm.

Tengan giggled, slightly lightheaded from the mead, and took the offered arm as the two slipped away from the crowd. As they walked along the buildings, the cool night air and distant sounds of celebration began to clear her head. “Thank you.” She murmured quietly as if a loud noise would shatter the peace of the moment. “For giving Snotlout the trophy I mean.”

Dagur smiled down at the young woman on his arm. “Hey, he earned it. Although, don’t tell him, but I may have written Snotknucles on the engraving.” He snickered into his free hand. “I want to see how long it takes him to notice.”

Tengan gasped lightly before succumbing to a giggle fit herself. “You’re terrible, you know that?” She gently swatted at his chest before glancing around. “So what did you want to show me all the way out here?”

Dagur’s smile split into a grin as he came to a stop. “It’s right here.” He gestured to a pair of two story huts set away from the main row. Both were a bit larger than any of the others and displayed the Berserker crest on the front door. “The right one is Heather’s. I offered to just build one big one but she seemed to think it might get a little….. cramped sooner rather than later.” With gentle nudges, he led Tengan into the hut on the left, pausing to light a torch in the entryway. 

“You’ve outdone yourself.” Tengan complimented as she slowly unwound her arm from his. Moving around the living space, she fought to ignore the fluttering in her chest. ‘Even Heather has planned on me moving in.’ she thought idly as she examined the large fireplace along one wall.

Dagur let her wander for several moments, seemingly content to watch her explore. As she made her second pass along the first floor, he reached out to take her hand. “This isn’t actually what I wanted to show you.” With gentle tugs, he led her upstairs and past two rooms to a closed door. “Open it.” He encouraged, releasing her once more.

Tengan glanced over her shoulder, catching Dagur practically bouncing with hardly contained glee. A smile of her own in place, she pulled open the wooden door and stood aside as her companion quickly lit a few candles around the room. As the small flames revealed more of the space, she began to make out a large desk up against the opposite wall. All around it, numerous shelves had been built into nearly every inch of wall space. Most lay empty, as if eagerly waiting for her to provide them with tomes. The two shelves on either side of the desks currently housed dozens of fresh journals, empty scrolls, rolls of untouched parchment, and a crate overflowing with quills and charcoal pencils. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of leather rolling off the books. 

“Do you like it?” Dagur asked as he dutifully studied her face for any kind of reaction. His own was slightly creased with worry.

Tengan beamed at the Berserker, the fading but still present buzz from the mead heightening her emotional state. “It’s wonderful.” She gasped, slowly turning in place to drink in more of the library, HER library.

Dagur grinned, relief flooding his features. “There’s something else I want you to have!” He slipped past her to lift three journals from the topmost shelf over her desk. “When Savage brought the Hunters here, he had these on the ship.” He extended the battered books to her, turning them so the handwritten titles could be seen in the dim light of the candles. “I think these were the final ones in Viggo’s possession.”

Tengan gingerly took her old journals from Dagur, her hand shaking. Gripping them tightly, she fought to keep the titles in focus through her teary eyes. “These were my more personal accounts.” She whispered into the semi-darkness, not trusting her voice to stay even at a higher volume. “All the little things I had learned about our friends; my hopes for Berk and the dragons.” She shuffled the stack of journals, pausing to flip open the third one. “In fact… yes I’m sure of it.” She glanced up quickly at the man standing before her. “I wrote down my initial thoughts of you in here.” Closing the book she hugged them tightly to her chest. “Thank you, Dagur. You’ve done so much to make this island a home for me.” With a steadying breath, she crossed the small room and stood on her tiptoes to place the journals back on the shelf. Turning to face him once more, she smiled warmly, well aware of the roar of blood rushing behind her ears and the frantic beating of her heart. “Would you mind keeping these safe for me? I’d feel more comfortable knowing my betrothed was protecting them.”

For several moments, it seemed Dagur had frozen. He stood, stone still, eyes wide, and mouth slightly agape as he stared at Tengan. When her words finally seemed to click, it was as if an avalanche of energy and emotion burst forth. With a joyous roar, he bounded forward, scooping the smaller woman up into his arms. Laughing, he peppered her face with enthusiastic kisses as he rocked back and forth. Every time he began to calm down, he’d catch sight of her breathless, smiling face and he’d devolve into another wave of laughter and kisses.

Tengan squealed, giggled, and wiggled in his embrace as his beard tickled her with every kiss. Quickly giving up on any hope of her feet touching the ground soon, she simply held on and pressed small kisses on his nose, cheeks, and lips whenever she could.

Eventually gaining some semblance of control over himself, Dagur gently lowered Tengan back to the floor, his grip on her slackening ever so slightly. “Oh, Tengan! You’ve made me the happiest viking on the archipelago!” He dipped, capturing her lips in another heated kiss.

Panting as they broke away once more, Tengan found herself grinning so widely her cheeks had begun to hurt. “Dagur. You’re an amazing man. I’d be honored to be by your side and look forward to learning more about you- I mean, our people. But,-”

Dagur shook his head quickly, his grip tightening. “Nope! No buts. Nothing good ever comes after that word.” His brow furrowed as an anxious expression began to creep in.

Tengan slid one hand up to rest her palm on his scruffy cheek. “All I was going to say is that I'd like to wait a little while to have the ceremony. I want to speak with my mother about you. About us. And you still have to find your father. Don’t you think it would be nice to have them there?” She smiled gently.

Dagur groaned, his head dropping to her shoulder. “I hate that you’re making some excellent points.” He nipped gently at the soft skin of her neck before lifting his head. “Alright.” he conceded with a playful smirk. “We’ll have the ceremony after you’ve seen your mother and I’ve found Oswald. Any chance you’ll agree to stay here until then?” He asked with an unconvincing air of innocence.

Tengan scoffed playfully. “You and I both know nothing would get done if I were here. You’re easily distracted.” She teased as she gently tweaked his nose. “Besides,” she added, her tone more serious. “Even with the Hunter’s gone, there’s still more to see and learn about on the Edge.”

“Fair point.” He conceded with an exaggerated sigh. Shifting his grip so he could reach into a hidden pocket sewn into the inside of his tunic. “While I still have you tonight, there’s one more thing I wanted to give you.” Withdrawing his hand, he held a small choker up in the candlelight. The pendant, about the size of a large coin, was made of Gronckle Iron and had the Berserker crest stamped in the center. A strong, braided leather cord was secured to either side of the pendant. “We used to make these from the bones of dragons.” He explained as he gently tied the choker in place. “But, since we moved away from that, I wanted to do something special for you. Fishlegs told me how to make that special iron with Shattermaster, and the rest is history.”

Tengan lightly brushed her fingers against the stamped metal lying across the center of her throat, smiling as she could just make out the ridges that made up the wings of the Skrill. “It’s beautiful.” She murmured as she leaned in for another kiss. “Thank you.” She whispered after breaking away. Blinking curiously, she gently cocked her head to the side. “How long have you been holding onto it?” 

Dagur grinned and chuckled. “Started working on it right after Shatteraster and I led the Hunter ships away. I’ve had it with me since. If things had gone the way I had originally planned, I was going to give it to you the day we found Viggo’s gold.”

Tengan’s eyes widened in mild surprise. “That long!?” She squeaked before laughing breathlessly. “You weren’t kidding. When a Berserker decides he wants something-”

“He goes all out until he gets it.” Dagur finished with a deep growl. He stood gazing down at his betrothed for several moments, his eyes drawn to the choker displayed prominently on her neck. “Would you like to see our bedroom?” He asked gently, a smoldering fire in his eyes.

Tengan pondered the invitation for a long moment, her eyes locked on the man towering over her. She was very aware of the friction between their two bodies, the feeling of his hands gripping at her hips. Focusing on his face, she realized his offer was just that. Hope twinkled in his eyes as he stood stock still, waiting for her answer. She had no doubts if she pulled away or said no he would drop it and they’d return to the party. ‘But do I want to go back right now?’ She thought as she traced the Skrill embossed on his breastplate. After tonight they would go their separate ways once again and she had no idea when their paths would cross once more. “Show me.” She whispered with a small nod.

With a devilish smirk, he quickly stooped and gathered the smaller Rider in his arms bridal style. Unwilling to release his prize, Dagur forced the library door open with a solid kick before storming back down the hall. A second well placed kick saw the door to the largest bedroom swing open.

Tengan blinked rapidly in the dark room, desperate for her eyes to adjust. She had barely made out the vague outline of a large wooden bed before she felt herself being dropped onto the hay-stuffed mattress. Her breath uneven, she shifted onto one hip to gaze up at Dagur as the familiar burning anticipation began to pool in her lower abdomen. “Are you going to join me?” She purred into the darkness.

Dagur growled in response as he hastily forced his breastplate and tunic over his head. As the armor clattered to the wooden floor, he roughly stripped his bracers from his forearms and threw them clear across the room before bending to unlace his boots. Kicking them aside he all but tore his leggings off before climbing back onto the bed, clad only in a scant loincloth. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” He apologized as he gently coaxed Tengan onto her back, shifting so he straddled her hips.

Tengan’s breath hitched as her eyes finally adjusted to the near total darkness of the room. Gently, her fingertips danced up his arms, pausing to trace every small scar they came across. Enthralled, she moved onto caressing his chest, lacing her fingers in the cluster of wiry hair blossoming between his pectorals. Experimentally, she grabbed a fistful and gave a gentle tug, a smirk parting her lips as the Berserker moaned. 

Panting heavily, Dagur gathered her wrists on one of his hands, slamming them down above her head. “Sit back and enjoy yourself, baby. It’s Dagur’s turn to have some fun.” Slowly releasing her wrists, he dipped his head towards her neck, biting and sucking at the soft skin while his hands trailed down to the hem of her shirt. Leaning back just far enough to allow her back to leave the mattress, he paused his assault on her neck long enough to yank the offending fabric over her head. The garment settled in a heap on the floor, followed in short order by her shoes, skirt and leg wraps. With a final nip at her neck, Dagur sat up to drink in the sight beneath him.

Tengan, only clothed in her undergarments and Dagur’s choker, shivered. Whether the action was a result of the slight chill in the room or her partner’s predatory gaze, she was unsure. Her eyes trailing down his firm stomach, she swallowed as they landed on the considerable bulge tenting the strained fabric of his loincloth.

“Like what you see?” Dagur teased, a cocky smirk playing on his lips.

“Oh stars, yes.” Tengan replied breathlessly as she reached for his chest once more. The heat in her lower stomach had begun to burn in earnest as she felt her walls flutter and twitch in anticipation. A needy whine escaped the back of her throat she felt her arms pinned above her head for the second time.

“Ah, Ah.” He teased, running gentle fingertips along the goose bump covered skin on her side with his free hand. “What did I tell you? It’s still my turn.” With a dark chuckle he released her arms to work at the knots holding the cloth strip over her chest. With a triumphant cry he tore the fabric from her body, flinging it over his shoulder. His eyes raked over her bare breasts, a hungry grin on his face. A brief flash of eye contact was all the warning he gave her before he dove in. His mouth latched onto a hardening nipple as his rough fingers toyed with the other, gently rolling and tugging at the nub as she writhed beneath him.

“Oh!” Tengan moaned, her eyes snapping shut as her hand involuntarily clenched the furs beneath her and her back arched into the contact. Every time his tongue flicked across the nipple, her body would flinch and her thighs would rub together, desperate for the smallest amount of friction down there. “Please!” She begged, her mind painfully sluggish as the waves of pleasure seemed to make complete sentences all too difficult. “Please, more!”

Dagur released her breasts, a thin strand of saliva connecting his bottom lip to the fully erect nipple. “All you had to do was ask.” He teased, smirking down at the panting mess of a woman beneath him. His hands trailing down to her loincloth, he slowly, teasingly, slid the fabric down, his smirk widening as the tops of her inner thighs glistened in the dim lighting. “So eager.” He chuckled as he slid lower on the bed, propping his upper body up on his elbows. Alternating between gentle kisses and teasing bites, he worked his way up from her knees, gently coaxing her legs to spread. Pausing at her core, he gave the flustered Rider a final smirk before diving in. As his tongue dragged along her lips, one hand came over to press down on her stomach and the other firmly grasped at her inner thigh, effectively pinning her into place.

Tengan’s hands flew to Dagur’s head where her fingers grasped at handfuls of his wild hair. A low, keening moan tore through her as all coherent thoughts were driven out of her mind. All that mattered was the feeling of his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her inner thigh, how his tongue flicked gently across her bud, the building pressure fighting to find release from within her. Several times she tried to buck her hips as his tongue swirled around her, only to be stopped as his hand easily held her down. “Dagur!” She begged as the pleasure climbed, every other word in her vast vocabulary lost to the building pressure. Another long, breathy moan tore from her as he quickened the pace. As his teeth barely grazed across her, she cried out his name as she was cast over the edge. Her eyes slammed shut and she felt her walls shudder and convulse as the world faded from existence for several moments. As the rolling waves of pleasure began to subside, her eyes fluttered back open as she tried desperately to steady her breathing and calm the quake in her legs.

Dagur grinned as he climbed back up along her body, his beard coated in the evidence of his successful mission. “I love it when you scream my name like that.” He growled in her ear as he hastily shed his final remnants of clothing. “It’s like you want everyone to hear. To know you’re mine.”

Tengan, still slightly panting, glanced down as she felt something warm and hard brush against her stomach. A light gap escaped her as she stared at his member. Along with every other part of him, it appeared strong and wild as it jutted out of a nest of crazy red hair. Almost as if it knew she were watching, it twitched, jumping upward to jab just below his belly button. Tearing her gaze away, she stared into his deep, emerald eyes. “I am yours.” She whispered, bringing one hand up to gently caress the pendant on her choker before winding her arms around his neck. “Please.” She begged softly, letting her legs part once more. “I want you.” 

A truly feral growl ripped through Dagur’s chest as he wrapped one arm behind her upper back. Using his free hand, he guided himself to her slick entrance as he gave the young woman a quick nip on the neck before slowly sinking into her folds. A groan passed his lips as he fully sheathed himself, his eyes closing for a moment as he savored the feeling. “Are you alright, love?” He asked with a strained voice, the hand not supporting her back coming down to grip the bed furs.

Tengan bit down on the juncture of his neck and shoulder to keep from groaning as she felt him twitch inside her. The strange sensation of being stretched burned slightly, but was quickly being overshadowed by the overpowering need for more friction, more movement. “I’m alright.” She whispered, a moan escaping as they shifted. Her eyes catching his, she smiled. “Don’t stop now.” She pleaded, her lips brushing against his ear. “Daddy.”

In that moment, something broke in poor Dagur’s mind. Shifting his hands so both firmly gripped her hips, his own snapped forward. A ragged moan left his lips as he felt her walls twitch and tighten around him. Through heavy lidded eyes, he could just make out Tengan’s sloppy smile as she bit down on her bottom lip and bounced off his thrusts. “Don’t hold back on me now.” He teased her as he shifted her hips slightly higher. “I want to hear those pretty little noises.” He snapped his hips forward again, groaning as he bottomed out.

Tengan’s eyes rolled back in her skull as she moaned. A continuous stream of mewls, cries, and screams left her lips as she felt Dagur press against the deepest parts of her body. As she rocked her hips back to meet each thrust, she dully wondered why she had ever taken so long to accept his proposal. Nothing seems like it would ever compare to the raw pleasure she felt watching him slide effortlessly in and out. As his hips began to stutter she felt her walls twitch and clamp down, almost as if they knew how close he was.

With several final, desperate thrusts, he groaned loudly before burying himself as deeply within her as their bodies would allow. Releasing her now bruised hips, he collapsed forward, drawing her close to his chest as he felt himself spill inside her. He drew several, ragged breaths as he rolled to the side, allowing his softening member to slide out before he pulled a spare fur over them. Gazing into Tengan’s exhausted face, he smiled as he gently brushed a few stray curls away from her eyes. 

Tengan smiled back, enjoying the peaceful silence that stretched between them. Shifting closer under the cover, her face scrunched in mild discomfort as she felt the combination of their fluids leak out onto her upper thighs. “I never really thought about the mess before.” She commented drly, now aware of the pleasant ache that seemed to have settled within her.

Dagur let out a tired chuckle as he drew her closer. Tucking her head under his chin, he traced gentle circles along her back. “You’re sure you don’t want to stay now?” He asked as one hand trailed down to gently cup the curve of her bottom.

Tengan snorted as she traced the edges of an exceptionally large scar on his shoulder. “I’m sure. I’m pretty sure no one would see us for at least a month if I moved in tonight.” She hummed as the heat flared within her once more. “Although, I am rather looking forward to it.” She admitted as her heavy eyes began to drift closed. “Shouldn’t we head back to the party?” She yawned. “Won’t the others be looking for us?”

Dagur pressed a long, slow kiss to the top of her head, momentarily losing himself in her hair. As he felt her breathing slow and her muscles relax, he let his eyes close. “Trust me, the party will still be going strong for some time.” he soothed. “Besides, I’m not ready to share you just yet.”

A bit over an hour later, Tengan meandered back towards the arena, arm in arm with her beloved Berserker. She walked slowly, her sore legs complaining that she had forced them to do anything other than lay in the warm bed back in Dagur’s hut. “Oof.” She groaned. “Riding back to the Edge tomorrow is not going to be fun.” She flinched slightly as her core twitched, exacerbating the dull ache that refused to ease.

Dagur chuckled, a devious smirk on his lips. “You could always stay. I wouldn’t mind carrying you to bed every night.” He teased lightly as he helped her back into the throng of celebrating vikings. As several turned and cheered at their chief’s reappearance, he raised his free hand and roared a greeting back. Laughing at the drunken display of his cheerful villagers, he graciously accepted two horns of mead before passing one to Tengan. 

Shifting to stand unassisted, she gratefully accepted the drink and raised it along with the nearby Berserkers. With a drunken cheer and toast to Dagur’s defeat of the Hunters, she watched with wide eyes as most of the men, Dagur included, downed their drink in one swift motion before shuffling to the stage to refill. “I’ll be surprised if this lot remembers anything tomorrow!” She teased good naturedly as she sipped her mead. 

“THERE YOU ARE!” Heather hollered as she elbowed through a group of Berserkers that easily stood head and shoulders above her. “We’ve been looking all over for you!” A large, red flush dusted her cheeks and neck as she clumsily swung a half full tankard of ale. “What was my brother-” She stopped mid-sentence as her slightly unfocused eyes locked onto Tengan’s choker. “YOU ACCEPTED!” She squealed, launching the tankard in a high arc over several heads before drawing the Rider in for a bone-crushing hug.

Tengan giggled as she tried to return the embrace with the little mobility Heather had left her. As the dark-haired Berserker finally released her, she laughed breathlessly. “Yes, I accepted.”

Heather’s smile widened. “It’ll be nice to finally have a sister.” She stated with a curt,almost serious nod.

Dagur wound his arms around Tengan’s waist once more, being mindful of her bruised hips. “Oh, am I not enough anymore? That hurts, sis. Really cuts deep.”

Heather scoffed before grabbing Tengan by the forearm, dragging her out of Dagur’s protective embrace. “Just for that, I’m keeping her for the rest of the party. You’ve had her all to yourself all night!” Looping her arm over Tengan’s shoulder, she began to march the woman away. “Comeon! You have to show Astrid and Ruffnut your betrothal necklace! I’ve been dying to talk about since he let me take a peek a few weeks back!”

Tengan glanced back over her shoulder at Dagur, giving him a small smile and helpless shrug as she let herself be herded to a back corner where the other girls and Fishlegs were happily leaning against the stone wall, drinks in hand.

Heather abruptly stopped as the others came in view, placing both hands squarely on Tengan’s shoulders as she stared the other Rider dead in the eyes. “Now spill it. Where were you two? I walked the entire party three times and couldn’t find anyone who had seen you in the last couple hours.” A taunting smirk started to spread across her flushed face.

Tengan chuckled nervously as she glanced past her soon to be sister. A small smile lit up her face as she watched her betrothed, currently surrounded by a cheering crowd, laugh and joke with his people. Even in the flickering light of the torches, she could still clearly make out the purple bite mark she had left where his neck and shoulder met. “What are you talking about, Heather? You’ve had too much ale. We never left the party.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for now I have "Searching for Oswald and Chicken" planned for next week but I may push it back a week or so to focus on Viggo's return. He has had access to Tengan's journals and therefore her innermost thoughts. Still not sure if I want to flesh that side plot out more or just continue to focus on the relationship between Tengan and Dagur straight through to the end. As always, thank you for reading!


	23. To Destroy and Rebuild

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So sorry this one is a day late! Got wrapped up in Labor Day fun with my family. I hope everyone had a safe and happy weekend! For those of you who skipped last week's chapter, Tengan went with the Rides to visit Berserker Isle for the Apprentice Graduation Ceremony. Dagur showed her his newly built house, complete with a dedicated library for her. In it are the final few journals Viggo and his men had stolen. After seeing this, she accepts his proposal and promised to return for their Union Ceremony once he completes his search for Oswald. This week goes over the events of "Dawn of Destruction" and the "Wings of War" two parter. Next week will pick up with "Searching for Oswand and Chicken"! As always, thanks for reading!

“Must you do this in my hut?” Tengan sighed, lifting her head from her notes on Wingmaiden Island to glance over her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Ruffnut and Tuffnut laying side by side on her bed, their heads dangling off one end. “Don’t you have boars to wrestle?” She suggested gently as she turned in her chair to face the morose Riders. Her eyes momentarily flicked to Rumble, who was busy glaring at the intruding heads and necks of Barf and Belch, who seemed determined to ruin the Skrill’s afternoon nap.

“Did that already.” Ruffnut responded flatly, her eyes half-lidded. Lazily, she scooped a crumpled piece of parchment up from the floor before tossing it into Barf’s open mouth.

“Yeah, even the boars are getting tired of us.” Tuffnut added as he idly picked at a patch of loose fur on the bedspread.

“Face it.” Ruff huffed as she twisted into a sitting position. “Everything’s been super boring since Hiccup and Astrid decided they’d rather gaze into each other’s eyes than handle any of their responsibilities around here. Did you know I ended up cleaning the stables yesterday? It was Astrid’s turn! But she was busy sparring with Hiccup.”

“Ruff, I cleaned the stables yesterday.” Tengan responded with a quirked eyebrow. Giving up on getting any more work done the rest of the day, Tengan set aside what felt like her hundredth attempt to write home about her recent betrothal. She had spent the last few days struggling to put her announcement into words. Ideally, she would prefer to fly home with Dagur in tow to properly introduce him, but considering all records of him on the Shimmering Shores were less than positive, she wanted to send word ahead first. Give her mother time to understand.

“Not the point!” Tuffnut interjected, pointing at Tengan. “Aren’t you at all upset with how they’ve been treating us lately?”

“I’m more upset that you two seem to have decided I’m to be your entertainment for the rest of the evening.” Tenagn teased lightly as she crossed her arms. “Honestly, it has been a little grating.” She frowned as she recalled the couple ganging up on her as they argued over destroying her notes on Vanaheim and the Sentinel dragons. While she understood the need to keep the place hidden from unsavory characters, she still felt her cryptic shorthand was safeguarded enough. 

Physically shaking her head to dispel the frustrating memories, she continued. “But they’ll come around. It’s exciting being with someone.” She smiled gently, her fingers coming up to brush against the Skrill embossed in her choker. “I hope you all haven’t said the same about me and Dagur.” She added with light humor.

The twins waved her off in unison as they made matching dismissive huffs. “Your Beloved Berserker isn’t around enough to be that annoying.” Ruffnut teased.

“Besides,” Tuff added with a grin. “Whenever he comes around something awesome and Berserk happens!” His face lit up as he scrambled into a somewhat more normal sitting position on the bed. “When is he coming back anyway?”

Tengan frowned, her brows knitting together. “Not for some time still, I think. He planned on going pretty far west to look for Oswald.” Heat flooded her chest and cheeks as she thought back to the morning of his departure. Dagur and Heather had stopped by the Edge to spend a few hours with the Riders before splitting up. That was their cover story at least, for no one saw the hide or hair of Fishlegs, Heather, Tengan, or Dagur during the entirety of their visit. The poor scribe had had difficulty walking the next day, not to mention her struggles finding different ways to hide the marks on her neck over the following week.

Tuffnut broke through the silence once more with an unnecessarily long groan as he flopped face first down on the bed. 

Tengan shared a brief, unamused look with Ruff before rising to her feet. “Well, clearly I’m not going to get anything done until the two of you are entertained. Go grab Chicken and meet me in the main hall. Before we left Berserker Isle, Kralins slipped me a recipe for the sweet cakes we had at the party. I’ve been meaning to try it out.”

The late afternoon and early evening slowly transformed from a grumbling pity-party of disgruntled Riders into an almost mini celebration. Dinner consisted of mountains of sweetcakes and a few small barrels of mead Snotlout had apparently been hiding under his hut. As the starks twinkled above the base, the small group continued to roughhouse and sing, their disjointed voices punctuated by their dragons roars and growls. It was only when Fishlegs, his face tomato red from the mead, reminded them all that they still had to get up early for the census tomorrow morning, did the slightly stumbling teens climb into their saddles and let their dragons ferry them back to their huts.

An earth-shattering boom launched Tengan from her bed early the next morning. With a startled cry, she scrambled across the wooden floor and under Rumble’s raised wings. Her back pressed against the growling Skrill’s side, she stared at the ceiling of her hut, her eyes flicking back and forth along the trembling timber. 

“Ruff! Tuff! If that’s you, this is NOT funny!” She cried out, flinching back against her dragon as another explosion sent splintered pieces of wood raining down on her. Through the new gaps in her roof, she spotted several blurs racing past, the acrid smell of smoke drifted into the hut in their wake. Her eyes widening, Tengan scrambled to saddle Rumble as quickly as her trembling fingers would allow, double and triple checking the straps that secured her sword to the leather seat. “Somethings wrong, boy. Let’s get up there and see what’s going on.”

Rumble’s head drifted back and forth as he glared through the holes in the ceiling. Despite the serpentine motion of his neck, the rest of his body remained stock still as he permitted his Rider to saddle him. The moment she was settled safely on his back, he slammed his skull against the front door, nearly throwing it off the hinges in his rush to take to the skies.

Tengan’s heart dropped as she stared, open mouthed at her home. Several of the buildings were on fire, the flames splintering logs and snapping ropes connecting pathways and bridges. Tearing her gaze from the destruction she caught sight of several Singetails circling above the Edge, periodically sending another burst of fire down to ignite another section. “Rumble! Look out!” She screamed, yanking hard on the left edge of her saddle. She shut her eyes for a brief moment as the Skrill snapped his wings tight against his body, rolling away from a charging Singetail.

“Tengan!” Snotlout hollered as he and Hookfang approached, Meatlug and Barf and Belch flanking him. “Fall back! Behind me, I have a plan!”

Her head reeling slightly from the acrobatics, Tengan only nodded, not trusting her stomach enough to speak at the moment. Urging Rumble to fall into place at the rear of their small diamond formation, she took a heavy, steadying breath. “Ok, Snotlout! Let’s hear that plan.”

“We are going to stand our ground! We need to be as unflinching as they are!” The Jorgenson called over his shoulder as he pressed slowly forward towards the throng of raging dragons.

“Are you sure about this?” Fishlegs asked meekly, his wide, fearful eyes reflecting the flames currently consuming the stables.

“Not really.” Snotlout admitted, his face set.

“What are you talking about?” Tuffnut cheered. “THIS is epic! Exactly what I’ve needed!” He threw his arms in the air, drinking in the chaos all around him.

“We got this, guys!” Ruffnut added. “And, if we don’t, it was nice knowing you all!” Her voice faded as the Zippleback began to dive.

“Except for you, Snotlout!” Tufnut added, turning briefly to stick his tongue out at the Monstrous Nightmare and Rider.

Tengan bit her lip as she watched the twins approach. Luckily, none of the fires had spread to their huts yet. ‘But if they do, I’ll lose everything… and even Dagur’s unbridled determination can bring my journals back from ash.’ She thought darkly, her heart pounding. With a furious cry, she and Rumble followed Meatlug and Hookfang as they dove after Barf and Belch.

As the sun slowly inched higher in the sky, the new day found the five Riders diving, swerving, twisting, and falling in spectacular displays as they continuously tried, and failed to drive off the attacking dragons. Every time one of them would get close to landing a hit, another Singetail would abruptly about-face and chase the attacker off, even if they had been preoccupied with their own target seconds ago. As the sun crested over the cliffs, a Singetail banked in front of the glowing orb, an oddly familiar shape silhouetted on its back.

“Uh, I think I just saw someone riding one of those Singetails.” Fishlegs called out to the others as they regrouped for the third time.”

“No you didn’t Fishface.” Snotlout responded, his face grim. “You saw someone riding ALL of those Singetails.”

Tengan spun in the saddle to catch a closer look. Now in proper daylight, it was easy to make out the Vikings crouched over the shoulders of each of the dragons. A chain connected to their charge’s mouth was clutched in one hand while the other made good use of what appeared to be a barbed riding crop. Tiny droplets of blood flew off the cruel tool each time it was brought down on the poor dragon’s neck and shoulder. “That explains why they’d change targets so quickly!” Tengan cried out to the others. “We need to split up! Try to get those monsters off their dragons once you have them alone!”

“Way ahead of you!” Snotlout hollered as Hookfang flamed up, roaring his challenge at their pursuers.

Tengan silently wished her friends luck as she angled Rumble towards the volcano at the center of the island, glaring at the two Singetails who broke off to follow. “Alright boy, let’s show them the true meaning of agility.” Laying as flat as she could in the saddle, she pressed Rumble to dive and bank sharply around several rock outcroppings along the sheer side of the volcano. Glancing back over her shoulder, she smiled as the Singetails fell behind and, momentarily, out of sight. Landing quickly, the pair silently sheltered under the canopy of a cluster of trees until their pursuers sped past overhead. 

Taking to the skies once more, she grimaced. “I’m sorry about this, you two.” She whispered to herself. “It may sting a little.” Tapping her heels into Rumble’s sides twice, she flinched in sympathy as her Skrill landed a well placed lightning strike on the Viking’s helmets and, through them and thankfully to a lesser extent, their dragons. Her flinch turned into a grin as the stunned men tumbled out off their perches and towards the forest floor while the Singetails threw off their harsh chains and took off towards the open sea, only slightly wobbly from the hit. “Great shot, Rumble!”

Hours passed in a blur of Singetail fire, close calls, and well aimed lightning strikes. “Let’s meet up with the others and see how they’re doing.” Tengan suggested breathlessly after she and Rumble took a moment to rest hidden in a tightly knit clump of trees. She gave her partner an appreciative pat on his neck as her mind drifted back to the books in her hut. ‘I hope we’ve done enough to drive them off.’ Climbing back into the saddle, she angled the Skrill towards the direction she last heard a faint ‘Snotlout! Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi!’.

“There you are!” Snotlout hailed as the Skrill approached. “Fishlegs was knocked off Meatlug. We need everyone to help find him.” He gestured to the panicky Gronckle hovering anxiously around the other dragons.

“Well,” Tuffnut added as he glanced off into the distance. “I’m not sure that’s going to happen right now but it’s a good thought!” He pointed towards the rising sun where no less than a dozen more captive Singetails were charging towards them.

“Dragon dung.” Tengan cursed as she watched the new wave of enemy approach, a grim snarl on her face. “How many do you think we can take?”

Whatever half-hearted answer she expected to hear from Snotlout died in his throat as Toothless and Stormfly dove down on the approaching Singetails. With the element of surprise and a few fell-placed blasts, the pair were able to momentarily scatter the attacking formation.

“I’m sorry gang!” Hiccup cried out as he and Astrid approached. “We should have been here.” He glanced up as the regrouping Singetails, his eyes widening in shock. “Wait.. are those… Fliers?! What? How!?”

“Uh, Hiccup?” Astrid added urgently. “Maybe we can have this discussion later? Focus on air tactics and defense now?”

“Couldn't agree more!” Tengan and Ruffnut replied in unison, the former’s face set with fury and the latter’s an unbridled expression of manic glee.

Charging back at the flock of Singetails, Tengan gripped the saddle tightly, her eyes locked on three Fliers in particular who were flying slightly below and behind the pack. “Think you can repeat that stunt from before?” She murmured into her dragon’s ear as she tapped her eels against his side. The resulting lightning strike hit its mark once again, sending three more Fliers tumbling into the dark waters below. As the pair hurried back towards the island, her eyes widened in horror. The fires had continued to spread, aided by a handful of Fliers still actively attacking the base. “NO!” She cried out, her voice breaking. 

Rumble, driven by his partner’s anguished cries, pressed forwards towards their home only to be blocked and herded away by harrying Singetails. While a few more Fliers were sent tumbling from his blasts, the dragon eventually ran dry and had to rely on acrobatic twists and rolls to avoid injury.

“Fall back! FALL BACK!” Hiccup's command echoed over the Riders as he and Toothless winged their way over to Tengan. “There’s too many of them! We can’t retake the Edge right now!”

As the group landed on a sea stack several miles offshore, Tengan slipped out of the saddle and began to anxiously pace along the edge. Several times she glanced up at poor Meatulg who maintained an unwavering vigil as she stared at the hostile island where her Rider was stranded. “We need to get back, and quickly!” Tengan announced to no one in particular as she continued to pace, her haphazard path bringing her dangerously close to the edge whenever she glanced in the direction of their island.

“Woah, take it easy.” Hiccup soothed the anxious Rider and partnerless Gronckle. “We’ll find Fishlegs and save our island.” He promised.

“And how are you going to do that, Hiccup?” Snotlout asked dismissively as he stormed over to the one-legged Viking. “Those Fliers are all over the place and they're trained. But you wouldn’t have known that. You and Astrid have been consistently blowing us all off. And now we could lose our island because you two had to fly off on another Hiccstrid power couple adventure.”

“We’re back now.” Astrid added somewhat lamely. “We shouldn’t have left, I see that now but we’re back and we’ll make it right.”

“.....Not all of us.” Hiccup corrected, guilt dripping from every word as he glanced at Meatlug. Pulling his spyglass from Toothless’ saddle bag, he pressed the tool to his eye. “It looks like they’re still searching. Which means they haven’t captured Fishlegs yet… and I think I know where he might be hiding.” Stowing the spyglass, he climbed back into the saddle. “Let’s go. If we get separated, meet up at Caldera Cay, and fill Mala in on the situation, got it?”

Tengan, pausing in her pacing, hurried over to Hiccup before Toothless could take off. Her hands gliding under the Night Fury’s chin, she stared at the black scales.“Hiccup. I need your help. You and Toothless have the best chance of breaking through their ranks with night approaching….” Her voice began to break as tears stung the corners of her eyes. “If it seems like we’ll fail… My journals they…. they can’t fall into the wrong hands again….. Will you do this for me?” She forced herself to look up at the Viking before her, surprised at the level of understanding she found.

“I will.” Hiccup promised with a small, sad smile. “But let’s hope it doesn't come to that, ok?”

With a stiff nod of agreement, Tengan stepped back, allowing Toothless to take off. Settling back into Rumble’s saddle, she struggled to force down all stray anxious thoughts. “We’ve defended our home numerous times. Today, we do it again.” She murmured to herself as she scratched Rumble’s shoulder. “I’m grateful to have you as my partner in battle.” She smiled softly as the Skrill seemed to hum in agreement.

Approaching the island, the Riders split once again as a wave of Singetails rose to meet them. Using the blinding light of the setting sun as cover, Tengan and Rumble managed to lure a pair of Fliers away form the main group where Barf and Belch, descending from the cover of a thick cloud of smoke, were able to pluck the Fliers deftly from their perches and toss them towards the hard ground below.

“Perfect!” Tengan praised the twins as they watched the newly freed Singetails flee from the chaos. As evening turned to dusk and the moon began to rise, Tenagn motioned for the twins to follow her further inland and under the shadow cover of the volcano. “Our dragons are getting too tired to keep going.” She called out as Rumble drew heavy breaths beneath her. “Let’s hope Hiccup was right about where Fishlegs was hiding. We can’t keep this up forever.”

As the Skrill and Zippleback silently glided around the volcano’s base, the Riders sighed with relief as Stormfly, Hookfang, Toothless, and Meatlug approached with their partners in tow. 

“Thank Thor!” Tuffnut roared over to the others. “Things have been getting pretty crazy out here. I mean, I’m all for a little chaos now and again, who isn’t right? It’s just-”

“Lookout!” Astrid cried out in warning, her eyes widening as several Singetails, led by a ruby-scaled titan wing surrounded the Riders.

Tengan glanced desperately between the Riders and the Fliers. All of the Singetails looked fresh and vibrated with energy while each of the Rider’s dragons seemed to almost struggle with the effort to maintain airborne. It was not lost on her that they had spent an entire day defending the island with the same, unrested group of six dragons while the Fliers had the luxury of attacking in alternating waves as their Singetails tired.

“What are we going to do?” Snotlout asked in a slightly shaky voice as he twisted in the saddle to keep an eye on the Fliers closing in from behind.

“Hiccup…” Fishlegs cried out in desperation, his body trembling as he caught sight of the red titan wing.

“We gotta get out of here.” Ruffnut asserted, her own voice unusually grave.

Tengan locked eyes with Hiccup, the fire in her own steadily going out as the gravity of their situation fell over her. “You know what needs to be done…. Please.” Her voice broke as a single tear fell onto the Skrill’s saddle.

Hiccup glanced at all his friends in turn, his expression one of frustrated anguish. “Retreat! You know where to go!” He roared to the Riders and he and Toothless broke off from the main group.

“Where is he going!?” Astrid cried out as she and Stormfly took the lead as the fleeing Riders dodged a new wave of Singetail fireballs.

“He’s going to make sure nothing I wrote can never be used to harm another dragon ever again.” Tengan replied in an empty, emotionless voice. Trusting the others to warn her if a rogue Singetail pursued, she refused to look back, unable to watch as Hiccup carried out her request. A small, sad smile tugged at her lips as Rumble cooed soothingly to her though his labored breathing. “We’ll be alright, boy. You and I are safe, that’s more important.” She whispered as she placed her palm on the dragon’s shoulder.

Snotlout twisted in the saddle once more to look back at the island as two muffled explosions collapsed Tengan and Hiccup’s huts. “Well it’s a good thing I doubled back then.” He commented, patting the bulging saddlebags hanging over Hookfang’s right leg.

“You mean we!” Fishlegs corrected with a glare.

“What do you mean?” Tengan asked sharply, her eyes boring into the bag. “You’re not telling me you went back for them?”

Snotlout frowned. “No, not really. There wasn’t time to get everything. Besides, do you know how much you write? Hookfang and Meatlug combined would never be able to take off carrying your whole library. We were able to get that bag of weird parts from Hiccup’s hut and just a bag of papers and a few of your books from yours…. I’m sorry.” He added quietly.

Tengan felt her gaze soften and the knot in her chest loosen a bit as she stared at Snotlout. “...Thank you.” She managed to choke out.

“I’m so sorry about this gang.” Hiccup apologized yet again as he and Toothless finally caught up. Gliding closer to Rumble, he sighed heavily. “I did as you asked. They won’t be able to get anything from your hut….” After a moment of waiting for her to respond, he continued. “You made the right choice, if that helps at all. I did the same with mine. There were things in there I couldn’t let the Fliers get their hands on.”

“We haven’t lost everything.” Tengan finally answered, her tone strong despite the wavering in her voice. “Snotlout managed to save a few things. Said he was able to rescue a bag of odd parts.”

“Well.” Snotlout interjected, is arms crossed defensively. “I figured it had to be worth it since you and Astrid have been blowing us off to work on it so often.”

Hiccup winced and let his head hang in shame. “You’re not going to let me off the hook with a simple apology are you?”

Snotlout glanced back at the rapidly receding island behind them. Even at this distance, the flames were still plainly visible. “Not by a longshot.”

Hiccup sighed and nodded. “I thought as much. Well, if it helps, what you saved were pieces to build another Dragon Eye.”

Fishlegs perked up immediately. “Really!? Oh my Thor!” He squealed as he wriggled in the saddle.

Astrid glared at her betrothed, clearly unamused at the revelation. “That’s what we’ve been hunting pieces down for?” She shook her head. “Never mind. Let’s focus on getting to Caldera Cay in one piece. There’s still a ways to go and the dragons are already tired.”

Most of the night was spent flying in silence. As the Riders touched down in the middle of the Defender’s town, they were surprised with the immediate level of hospitality Mala showed them. Despite clearly having been woken up abruptly to greet them, the queen graciously offered the exhausted Riders and Dragons a series of small cabins at the edge of the settlement for the foreseeable future. Within an hour the beaten down group had selected their temporary lodging and fallen into bed.

Tengan, despite her emotional and physical fatigue, could not find sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, images of the Edge burning flashed in her mind. Finally, and through tear clouded eyes, she slipped out of the unfamiliar bed and padded softly outside to where Rumble was sleeping peacefully curled up in front of her door. It took only a couple gentle prods to awaken the Skrill enough to encourage him to lift a wing and allow her to crawl under its protective embrace. Snuggled up against the dragon’s warm side, sleep finally came for the broken scribe.

The following morning’s Sun brought no warmth to the displaced Riders. Tengan, still not having the strength to leave Rumble’s side and see which few volumes had survived, simply sat silently, observing the group. Snotlout and Fishlegs sat shoulder to shoulder, their glassy eyes staring unfocused at the dirt beneath them. The twins laid on their backs, oddly silent as Barf and Belch laid listless beside them. Only Astrid and Hiccup were standing, although they looked rather at a loss for what to do next.

Astrid, forcing an optimistic smile into place, cleared her throat before speaking up. “Let’s talk about our next move. I say we get the Edge back.”

“CAN we get the Edge back?” Snotlout shot back, his empty stare struggling to focus on Astrid.

“He has a point.” Fishlegs added. “I mean, how many of those Dragon Fliers are even out there?” he gestured haphazardly into the distance.

“You will all have the time to plan out the next course of action.” Mala interjected as she and Throk approached the group, an almost motherly smile on her face. “But right now you are all mentally and physically exhausted. You all need to rest. Regroup. You are welcome here among us as long as you need.”

“Thank you Mala.” Hiccup answered for the group, his voice low and dejected. “You have no idea how much this means to us.”

Mala glanced past Hiccup to observe the dejected group before sharing a knowing smile with Throk. “Fishlegs” She called gently. “There is an ore mine in the center of the island. Perhaps Meatlug would like to sample some of the stone we have there?”

As his queen spoke, Throk sidled past to approach the twins. “You know, I’ve been meaning to scout out a few locations to build a temporary boar pit. Or perhaps a lava pit. Would you two have any ideas?”

Despite the heavy emptiness in her chest, Tengan found herself smiling slightly as each of the Riders were invited to partake in a hobby or passion somewhere on the island. Snotlout was already marching off to the combat fields to instruct a group of young warriors in training. Her smile faded as Mala turned to face her.

“Tengan, your stays with us have always been too brief to allow any suitable time for study. Perhaps today would be a good day to spend in our library?” The Queen’s eyes were gentle and sympathetic.

Tengan dropped her gaze to glance at the door of her temporary lodgings, her mind with the unopened saddle bag of her last surviving pieces of her work. “Thank you Mala, but I’m afraid I’ll have to decline for now. Today I need to sort through the little Snotlout managed to rescue from the fire; inventory what books and letters…..” She gasped and jumped to her feet, knocking Rumble’s wing off her in the process. “Letters! Oh no.” Her wide, fearful gaze met the concerned stares of Mala, Astrid, and Hiccup. “Dagur and Heather! They mentioned coming back to the Edge once they found Oswald. They don’t know it’s not safe. I have to get a letter to Berserker Island!”

Mala apprached with a few long strides and placed her hands on the younger woman’s shoulders. “Breathe. It will be alright. Take your dragon to our library. There you will find ink and paper. Pen your note and we will send our fastest ship to deliver it. Your friends will be warned, I promise.”

Tengan took several, steadying breaths, only truly feeling some tension leave her as Rumble gently nudged her shoulder blade. “Y-You’re right. Thank you, Mala. We’ll be off right away.” With a nod to Hiccup and Astrid, she scrambled onto Rumble bareback and took to the sky, angling towards the center of town.

Several minutes later she sat, re-reading her hastily scrawled note. Her eyes scanned the lines a few times over, trying to make sure the warning was serious but would not cause any unnecessary panic.

Dagur and Heather,

If this note reaches you that means the Edge is still not safe. A group of men flying on chained Singetails chased us out a day ago. Much of what was on the island is lost but we are all safe. I dare not say where in case the Fliers intercept this note. DO NOT GO TO THE EDGE. DO NOT COME LOOKING FOR US. I will send word with updates when I can. You’re both missed dearly. I hope your mission has had better luck than ours.

Tenagn

Tengan sighed, folding up the note. “I just hope they don’t make it back before it gets there.” Rolling up the scroll, she quickly stamped the note with a plain seal of wax and one of Rumble’s smaller scales. Slipping out of the library, she and Rumble winged their way down to the dock where, thankfully, the promised ship was already waiting for her message. With a deep bow of gratitude, she handed off the note before standing quietly for some time, watching until the sloop disappeared over the horizon. 

A familiar roar overhead sent chills running through her spine. Her head snapping up, she squinted at the partially overcast sky and struggled to bite back a scream as two Singetails dipped below the cloud cover. “No…. no no no.” She moaned miserably as she jumped back onto Rumble. “Hurry boy! We need to get back!” Glancing nervously over her shoulder, she fought the trembling in her limbs as the world sped past her.

Thankfully, blessedly, her temporary home was still standing. Bursting inside, she threw Rumbe’s saddle, the unopened saddlebag of her last few journals, and her sheathed sword outside, her frantic motions fueled by adrenaline. Father than she could ever remember having done it before, she saddled the Skrill, secured her bag and weapon, and was in the air. Heading towards the other Riders, she struggled to block out the panicked screams of the island’s residents as small explosions arose beneath them. “Hiccup!” She cried out. “What are we going to do?”

Hiccup snarled down at the destruction beneath them. “We need to lead them away from the island! They came looking for us, they’ll follow us!”

Tengan stared down at the destruction beneath her, her heart aching as the wild chorus of cries and shouts reached the Riders. Tearing her gaze away, she urged Rumble to follow the others as they fled, the heat of the flames fading with every wing beat.

The group flew through the day and into the night, their only solace was the enraged screeches of the Singetails that confirmed the Fliers had taken the bait. Their progress was slow going as many times they had to take shelter in thick clouds or behind cliffs to keep from being overtaken by their better rested pursuers. They finally seemed to lose the Singetails in the ever present fog near Breakneck Bog before the group decided upon fleeing to Berk.

Thankfully, Stoick immediately stepped in upon hearing the Rider’s tragic tale. As the young adults and their dragons finally caught up on some well needed rest, he sent the A-Team out on around the clock patrols and instructed Gobber to ensure every able bodied Viking had a suitable weapon.

The following morning, Tengan found herself sitting quietly in her old hut, the only sound to reach her was Rubmle’s steady breathing as he slept soundly in his old stall. Her eyes bore steadily into the still full saddle bag. “It’s now or never.” She murmured to herself as she reached for the clasp. Closing her eyes, she deftly undid the ties and overturned the bag onto her bed, acutely aware of the sounds of numerous loose sheets of paper fluttering out. With trembling breath she slowly peeked as the small collection sprawled before her.

Only five of her journals remained. Of those, three were personal thoughts while two were more academic volumes. One detailed the culture and holidays of the Berkians while the other was a collection of addendums she had planned on adding to her copy of the Book of Dragons; it’s pages detailing some of the new species they had discovered since taking up residence on the Edge. The rest of her now meager collection consisted of loose papers. Shifting through them carefully, she found almost all of the love letters Dagur had sent her had been saved along with a few from her parents. The others were silly little notes; a compilation of ridiculous medical suggestions the twins had requested of her, a list of improvements for the base she and Astrid had worked on their second month on the new island, and so on. All these notes were more or less worthless if you wanted to learn anything new about building a fortress or tending dragons, but she treasured them just as much as her now burnt to ash copy of the Book of Dragons.

“Alright…… alright. This… this I can manage.” She whispered through the large lump in her throat as her fingers made the now familiar motion of lightly tracing the Skrill on her betrothal necklace. The medical journals and island maps she could rewrite, no matter the weeks and months it would take. She wasn’t sure how, but she was eternally grateful Snotlout managed to grab the few things she’d never have been able to replace: the memories stored in the correspondence between friends. “If we live through this battle, remind me to thank him.” She murmured to the dragon snoozing on the other side of the wall. 

The following days were a whirlwind of preparations. While Hiccup and Toothless were often missing, apparently out to find a non-violent solution, the other Riders were continuously training. More often than not they paired up and practiced aerial combat maneuvers. Despite their safety measures, Tengan had flown a mildly injured Rider to Gothi on more than one occasion when her field dressing measures seemed lacking. The only bit of rest the pair found was when word of a nearby lightning storm reached the island and they flew off to restore Rumble’s supply. The others were granted no such respite, a fact the twins vocalized vehemently. 

On the eve of the second day of preparations, the entire mounted force of Riders, sans Hiccup and Toothless who were still missing from a recon flight started the day before, as well as Spitelout who apparently hadn’t been seen in weeks, flew in formation over a fleet of Berk’s ships as the ranks made their way back towards the Edge. The hours droned by in nervous anticipation as the army progressed in near silence under the inky black sky.

Tengan gripped Rubmle’s saddle tightly, hoping her message had found its way to Berserker Isle. “We never had time to send one to Mother.” She whispered to her Skrill, her chest tightening at the thought. If every person fell to the Singetail Fliers, would any of the remaining members of Berk think to send note of her demise to the Shimmering Shores? And how would Dagur take it? He would come home, hopefully with his father in tow, only to learn that she- her thoughts dissipated as her dragon growled sternly beneath her. “You’re right, boy. It’s no use dwelling on what might be.”

“Here we go!” Astrid broke the silence as the Edge finally broke into view on the horizon. “Good luck everyone!” She added as a cloud of Singetails rose and began to approach the fleet.

Tengan crouched low in the saddle as she drowned out all other sound but the rush of air leaving her lungs and the steady beat of her dragon’s wings. As tense as she was, she nearly jumped out of her skin when Stoick gave the order to charge. With her best Berserker war cry, she urged her dragon into the fray.

The pair looped, twisted, and dove several times to avoid incoming fire, refraining from firing back at first. While the storm had been generous with the lightning it provided the Skrill, his energy stores were not infinite, and every shot had to count. The first blast, loosed as three Fliers tried to pen them in, struck true on the helmets of two of the men, sending them tumbling into the black water below. The others quickly caught on and made sure to keep their distance, resulting in the next two blasts missing entirely.

“I’m not sure how long we can keep this up!” Tengan called out to Astrid as they regrouped to rest the pair of dragons. “We can’t stay on the defensive forever.”

“I hate to say it.” Astrid replied as she surveyed the battle before them. “But it might be time to decide between us and the Singetails.”

“But they didn’t do anything wrong!” Fishlegs protested as he and Meatlug flew past. “They’re being forced to do this!”

Astrid’s retort died in her throat as another wave of Singetails arose from the island. “There’s more?!” She cried out in disbelief, seeming to ask the world at large more than any particular individual.

Tenagn groaned, glancing between the battered decks of the ships below them and the rapidly advancing line of Fliers. “This is going to be a long night.” She leaned forward in the saddle once more, eyes narrowed in frustration at the cruel men driving the Singetails towards them at a break-neck pace.

The line of advancing Riders halted in midair as a familiar black shape, followed closely by Spitelout on his Nadder, whizzed past them.

“Look!” Ruffnut called. “Here comes Hiccup!”

Tuffnut frowned as Toothless failed to slow as he reached the end of their formation. “And there goes Hiccup.” He added, a note of confusion coloring his voice. “He’s become very unpredictable lately. It’s unsettling.”

“Was that my dad with him?!” Snotlout hollered in disbelief. “I’ve been looking for him everywhere!”

“They’ve clearly got some plan in mind.” Astrid asserted, raising her voice so it carried to the entire Berk force. “Let’s keep these guys busy as long as we can. Give them some time!”

A new burst of energy invigorated the Riders and their dragons as they pressed forward into the fray. Tengan had been momentarily distracted by the sheer tenacity Gothi displaced as she and her Gronckle quite literally flew into one of the Fliers, sending the man nearly a Timberjack’s wingspan off to the side before he plummeted down towards the sea.

“We can’ let them have all the fun, right boy?” Tengan joked as Rumble approached a lone Flier. Grinning darkly, she leaned back, coaxing her dragon to hover in midair, his wide wingspan seeming to almost double his bulk. She plugged her ears just in time as the Skrill let out a terrifyingly booming roar as he challenged the Singetail. Her grin widened as the opposing dragon balked and reared back, giving Fishlegs the opportunity to snatch his barbed crop and dispatch the opponent with a few harsh strikes across the face from the weapon. “A bit much, don’t you think?” She teased the Gronckle rider gently.

“They deserve worse than that for mistreating dragons!” Fishlegs snarled as the shrinking form of the falling Flier as he threw the offending crop after him. “Any idea what Hiccup is working on?”

His question was answered as a faint glow began to shine from a nearby sea stack. “Of course! A distress signal!” FIshlegs gasped as the nearby SIngetails abruptly turned and began following the glow. “All the Singetails in the area will flock to help!”

Stoick approached the momentarily stunned group hovering in the air. “This is our chance! To the Edge!” He roared the command as he led the now opponentless group towards the island.

“Wait! What’s- There!” Astrid called out, urging Stormfly to a halt as they approached the base. “Krgoan is trying to get away on that red Singetail! And…. it looks like he has someone with him!” She pointed at the landing platform before the stables.

“Well let’s get down there and meet his new sidekick!” Stoick answered with a feral growl as he and Skullcrusher pressed forward once more.

Tenagn urged Rumble to follow along with the pack, her eyes peeled for any kind of trap or stray Flier who might have resided the distress signal. If they had kept the red one safely hidden, more could be close behind.

“You lot head back and secure the base!” Stoick called as they chased the Singetail out towards the sea stacks. “Astrid and I will handle Krogan. He may be a better flier than his men, but he is not better than any of us!” WIthout waiting for confirmation, he had Skullcrusher put on a burst of speed, leaving all but Stormfly behind in his wake.

Tengan, though reluctant, obeyed. “We better do as he says.” She called out to the others as she circled back. “I couldn’t bear it if we chased them off only to have those damned Fliers take over again while our backs were turned.” She smiled softly to her friends. “Looks like we might win today after all.”

The group quickly flew from hut to hut in their tight formation, aware that traps could have been laid for them during their absence. Thankfully, they found no obstacles, only a mountain of work that would have to be done to restore their island. The stables had been altered the most during their short absence. The stalls had numerous chains connected to iron cuffs protruding from each wall, the storeroom had been filled with crates of those awful barbed crops and metal harnesses, and the poor Terrors they kept for air mail trembled in horrifically small cages stacked several high in the loft.

Of their personal huts, it seemed only Hiccup’s and Tengan’s had continued to burn after they left the island. The young scribe had refused to set foot in the ruins of her old home and instead accepted the blackened husk of an unidentifiable journal from Fishlegs with a pained nod of thanks. The other rooms, while tossed and stripped of any food or fur, seemed largely untouched.

The sun had barely begun to break across the horizon when Stoick and Astrid rejoined the other Riders as they began to clean the main hall. One look at the chief’s frustrated expression told them all at once what had happened.

“Is Hiccup back yet?” The blond asked in a quiet, unsure voice. “I saw something out there, just before Krogan got away….”

Hiccup landed seconds later, a tired, yet satisfied look on his face. “Someone call me?” He asked hesitantly as he glanced sheepshly around at the other riders.

Astrid’s face momentarily melted with relief as she pulled him into a tight hug. “Thank Thor you’re alright.”

“Hiccup!” Fishlegs cheered. “The signal fire! That was unbelievable!”

“That’s not the only unbelievable thing that happened tonight.” Astrid added as she pulled out of the embrace. “Hiccup, there was someone else on the Singetail with Krogan….. I saw Viggo. And he had the Dragon Eye.”

The following days passed in a numb blur. The warriors who had sailed under the Riders opted to stay and help rebuild the best they could with their available supplies and tools. Despite the shock of leaning Viggo and the Dragon Eye most likely survived falling into the island’s volcano, many of the Riders often found themselves smiling or laughing in the bright sunlight with the villagers as the relief of their recent victory washed over them. As evening fell, the anxiety often returned and the group spent many hours sitting around the hearth in the main hall discussing what that could mean for the months to come.

Tengan, who had taken up temporary residence in the hall while her hut was still being rebuilt, sat slightly apart from the group. It was the third evening after the reconstruction started and they had gone over what Astrid had seen for what felt like the thousandth time. Before her, two Terrors playfully wrestled as they waited for her to finish her letters. Leaning back, she quickly scanned over the one she had slotted to go to Berserker Island:

Dagur and Heather,

I hope this note finds you before my first one is able to. If not, I apologize for any stress I may have caused you both. For now, the threat I spoke of is taken care of and the Edge is under control of the Riders once more. Although, we have reason to believe the Fliers will return once more. I promise we’ll fill you both in the next time we see each other. Hopefully, that time will be sooner rather than later.

Tenagn

With a satisfied nod, she carefully extracted the light blue Terror from the tussle and tied the note securely to it’s hind leg. After offering it a strip of dried salmon she released the small dragon out the nearest window before settling on the floor to reread her second note. With a small smile down at the remaining Terror, who seemed to be determined to wait for it’s letter curled in her lap, she lifted the second piece of parchment.

Mother,

Tragedy and Comedy have found me once more. Much of my work that was recovered has been destroyed. A new threat looms and threatens the creatures we have come to care for and depend on. My only solace is that in the burning of my work, our enemies cannot turn my discoveries against us. That, and, through the strife of battle, I have found someone to spend my life with. I am unsure when we will be able to make the journey, but I am looking forward to bringing him to our shores to meet you. 

Little Scribe

With gentle fingers, she repeated the process with the yellow-green Terror and spent several minutes watching the tiny flying creatures rapidly fly off in almost opposing directions. With a heavy sigh and a quick stretch she padded over to the group and sat on the pile of furs she had claimed as her temporary bed.

“Ok, let’s try to look at this as a yak bladder half full kind of situation.” Hiccup sighed as the conversation ran dry once again. “So Viggo is alive and he has the Dragon Eye. Both of those things are bad. But, stay with me!” He added desperately, reaching behind him to drag a small satchel forward into the firelight. “He thinks he has the only one.” With a small flourish, he withdrew what was unmistakably a Dragon Eye with a few minor changes. The main piece that held the lenses had been shaped to resemble the gaping maw of a Night Fury and the body was slightly longer and sleeker than the original had been. “It’s almost done. When I’m finished, ours is going to be able to do things the original Dragon Eye couldn’t dream of doing.”

Tengan’s eyes sparkled and her fingers twitched, eager to draw a rough sketch of the new tool before them. Discreetly, she glanced at each of her friends in turn and found them all wearing the same cautiously hopeful expression. She even felt it’s tiny light flicker to life in her chest once more as she slid over a blank piece of paper to begin her new sketch.


	24. Family Matters

Exhaustion seemed an understatement for the consistent lack of energy that clung to Tengan as the days wore on. At first she had dismissed the constant sore muscles and ever present call of her newly rebuilt bed frame as simply being overworked. The others often joked she was a different Rider entirely when she needed a nap or her sleep cycle was altered and the fortnight of non-stop reconstruction of the Edge had certainly seen everyone working from well before sunrise to well after moonrise each day.

As the volunteers from Berk began to peel off and sail back home, the Riders fell back into their old routine of constant patrols and training drills now that Viggo had been seen alive and in possession of the original Dragon Eye. Despite the routine being familiar to the group, Tengan still found herself struggling to keep her eyes open during evening patrols. Twice, she had to swap with Astrid when she had nodded off and almost slipped from Rumble’s saddle. Her seemingly perpetual exhaustion also cost her the precious few hours she had each week to begin rebuilding her work from memory and the occasional odd reference material she borrowed from Fishlegs or Hiccup.

The other Riders seemed certain her exhaustion stemmed from a second bout of a serious depression from losing the majority of her journals. On the two occasions the scribe had asked Astrid to cover her patrols, the blond accepted without her standard lecture on preparedness; her smile almost too understanding. It did not seem to matter she continuously argued that while she was devastated by their loss, knowing they were not out there in the hands of their enemies brought her a sense of closure. They all simply stared with their well meaning yet pitying smiles and offered to take on a patrol or stall cleaning duty to give her “more time to write”. 

Lifting her heavy head from her desk, Tengan glanced over at Rumble, who was quietly chewing on an old axe handle over his newly repaired bed. When Toothless had set fire to the hut, the heavy stone slab had fallen through the weakened floor and cracked into two pieces as it clattered against the rocks below. It had taken them two days to extract the slab from the cliffs and forge them together with copious amounts of Gronckle lava. Thankfully, the Skrill seemed indifferent to the ribbon of iron running through his bed and was quite happy to have it back. “Hey boy.” She called softly to the munching dragon. “Why don’t you and I visit Gothi and see if she can help me figure out what this fatigue is all about. I’ve been meaning to restock a few of the dried herbs here anyways.” A tired smile split her lips as the Skrill rolled onto his back and promptly snapped the axe handle into several splintered pieces.

Predictably, Hiccup was against her flying back to Berk on her own. “It’s way too dangerous for you to be out there on your own when Krogan and Viggo could be waiting. Besides, you’re in no condition to be making a long flight on your own right now.” He gently rested his hand on her shoulder. “Toothless and I should come with you.”

“No.” Tengan shook her head firmly, internally squashing the mounting frustration bubbling up. “You need to finish the Dragon Eye II. Now that we know the first one is still out there yours needs to be operational so we can try to stay a step ahead this time.” She took a deep, steadying breath. “Besides, there are plenty of small islands in between where I can rest and hide if the need arises.”

Hiccup chewed on his bottom, drawing out the motion as if he were buying time. “Then take Astrid with you. None of us should be heading out on our own.”

Tengan’s eyes narrowed as she cocked one of her eyebrows. “You know Stormfly is still recovering from the Slitherwing attack. She needs to rest. And before you recommend anyone else, none of the other dragons can keep up with Rumble’s speed. It will be safer if we go alone and quickly. We need the medical supplies and Gothi might be able to help me fight off whatever’s been draining my strength lately.”

Hiccup sighed before adding quietly. “Tengan, no one thinks any less of you for being upset with what happened. You did the right thing, as hard as it was… But you're right. We need those supplies.” He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Go. Be fast but above all, be safe. I’d ground you to keep you from leaving but we both know you’d just slip out tonight anyway.”

Tengan chuckled. “Smart man.” She gently nudged his shoulder with his fist. “We’ll be back in a few days. Anything you want me to pass on to Stoick while we’re there?”

Hiccup sighed again, his expression softening. “Just the usual ‘Stop trying to push chiefing duties on me’ if you wouldn’t mind.”

With a chuckle and a mock salute, Tengan climbed into Rumble’s saddle and took off towards the setting Sun. Stifling a yawn, she leaned down to rub her dragon’s neck. “It’s been a while since the two of us went on a solo adventure.” Leaning back, she stretched her arms over her head, smiling as the wind tugged at her curls. Settling in the saddle, she crouched low over the Skrill’s back. “Let’s see how quickly we can make it to that small cluster of islands where the Terrors like to nest. I bet we can get there before the moon rises.”

The flight to Berk was blessedly uneventful. Despite having to stop a few times for Tengan to rest her eyes and for Rumble to hunt, they simply glided along on gentle updrafts and stuck to the low hanging cloud cover. As the island came soaring into view, Tengan grinned and waved as Gustav, Bucket and Mulch sped past her during their daily flight exercises. Guiding Rumble up towards the healer’s cliff-top home, she slid out of the saddle and gently knocked on the old woman’s door moments later.

“Hey Gothi!” She greeted with a worn smile as the door swung inward. “Hope I’m not interrupting any-” Her sentence was cut short as Gothi’s staff deftly yanked her head down to the shorter woman’s eye level.

Gothi glared into Tengan’s heavily bagged eyes, a determined frown lining her face. She studied the younger woman for several moments before releasing her with a small smile before scratching a few symbols in the dirt at their feet.

Tengan squnited at the shapes, her sluggish brain fighting to remember their meanings. “Tired? Yeah, ever since the Singetail attacks. Thought it might have been from all the work we did rebuilding but it never went away.” She sighed, rubbing her heavy eyes. “The others think I’m stuck in a rut after having to burn all my books.” Her voice trailed off as her chest tightened.

Gothi, sensing the shift, reached up to gently pat her apprentice’s back before she began to write once more.

Tengan gave the older woman an appreciative smile as she continued to read. “No, I’m alright. At the end of the day I can always rebuild my library…. again. I’m just glad the Fliers weren’t able to make use of it.” The words tumbled out of her mouth almost automatically. She had been repeating the phrase to the other Riders often enough over the past few weeks that it was second nature at this point. “Something else is wrong. I’ve been getting tired faster lately. My muscles ache more often too. I just can’t seem to get enough rest.”

Gothi’s eyes narrowed as she studied the dark-skinned girl before she abruptly motioned for her to follow into the hut. 

Tengan gave Rumble an appreciative pat and retrieved her empty medicine bag from his saddle before following her inside. Taking a seat on a well worn stump, she set the bag down on a small table cluttered with bottles of dried herbs alongside a mortar and pestle filled with a light green powder. “I was actually wondering if you could spare some extra supplies for us as well. I’ve been able to maintain our pine needles and dried seaweed but there are a few roots and flowers that haven’t made a comeback since the lava flow.” 

Gothi waved off her request as she tottered along, gathering several jars of preserved ingredients. Reaching for a low shelf, she hesitated before grabbing a clay pot and setting it down near the resting Rider. With a set expression she carefully traced a few symbols in a pile of powdered fishbone resting in a shallow wooden tray.

Tengan cocked her head and squinted to read the symbols in the semi darkness. “When was my last…” the rest of the sentence caught in her throat as her mind raced. “My last moon’s blood.” She finished breathlessly as she cast her thoughts back . It had been quite a long while since her last bleeding. Before they had gone to Berserker Island and she formally accepted Dagur’s betrothal. “Gothi, are you saying I’m with child?”

Her flight back to the Edge later that afternoon was subdued. Several times Tenagn pulled the small clay pot of mixed herbs and ran through Gothi’s instructions. “Mix a pinch into hot water twice daily. The taste will be unpleasant due to a high concentration of iron but it will ease the muscle cramps and fatigue.” She sneered at the small jar and ran her tongue along the roof of her mouth, trying to dispel the metallic, almost bloody taste that seemed to cling there after Gothi had her drink a large mug before she had been released with strict instructions to fly back to her if any complications developed.

“Oh Rumble.” She sighed, one hand coming up to cup the still flat section of her womb she knew would soon begin to swell and round. “What am I going to do? Dagur’s still out with Heather and I’d rather not tell him something this important in a letter. Who knows how long he’ll take to come back? I could be the size of a Gronckle by then.” She leaned back in the saddle until she was lying flat against the Skrill’s back. “I want to tell him first but I can’t keep this a secret from the others forever either. They’ll figure it out sooner or later.”

Despite her conundrum, she found herself smiling gently as she caressed her stomach. “Your timing is awful, Little One.” She scolded the life within her. “I would have preferred you to come after the union ceremony and certainly after the war with the Fliers was done with.” Her smile broke into a grin as Rumble wriggled beneath her. Sitting up, she gripped the front edge of the saddle. “Seems like someone is itching to get back quickly.” Stowing her container of herbs, she triple checked the straps that held her medicine bag to the saddle before leaning forward. “Well? Show me what you got!”

The herbal tea, while still the most foul drink she had ever tasted, had seemed to do the trick. The pair only stopped once on their flight back from Berk, and only for a few hours sleep on a small, deserted island. As the Edge came back into view, Tengan laughed as Rumble growled and wiggled with delight. “You must be hungry. Why don’t we swing by the stables first and see what the others left for you?”

As the pair soared through the open door, Tengan glanced up as several familiar growls greeted them. “Hey Hooky.” She reached out to stroke the Monstrous Nightmare’s nose as her free hand worked to undo the straps on her saddle. As Rumble’s saddle slid gently to the floor, a large yellow and black head peered over the Skrill’s back. “Sleuther?!” Tengan gasped in surprise as she wound her way out from in between the pair of dragons sandwiching her between them. Reaching the Triple Stryke, she caressed under his chin with both hands, smiling as the dragon leaned into her affections. “What are you doing here? I thought you were off with Dagur searching for Oswald. Is he alright?” A sudden pang of fear gripped her as she craned her neck to look past the chirping dragon.

“Hiccup Haddock, I can’t believe you let my Tengan fly off to Berk all on her own!” Dagur’s frantic voice carried into the open stable door. “She could have been attacked by those Fliers! When did she leave again? Did she say when she was supposed to be back?!”

Tengan felt a twinge of sympathy for Hiccup that was almost immediately replaced with a warm rush of affection for her betrothed. “Seems he got my notes.” She murmured gently to the three large dragons, who had begun to sidle past her to plunge their heads in a large trough of fresh fish. She quickly stowed Rumble’s saddle on the peg next to his stall, swung the bag of medical supplies over her shoulder, and walked out into the sunshine. Following the sound of Dagur’s frustrated lecture and Hiccup’s exhausted replies, she tracked the two to the main hall.

“Dagur, she’ll be fine.” Hiccup sighed, his expression weary. “Rumble is one of the fastest dragons on the island. They left a couple days ago. She should be back-” His eyes widened in mild surprise and overwhelming relief as he caught sight of Tengan entering the hall. “Right now, apparently. Hey, Tengan. That was fast.”

Tengan beamed at the young men. “Of course. I told you-” The rest of her sentence was cut off as Dagur thundered across the room with a few long strides and swept her into his arms.

“Oh thank Thor!” He roared with joy as he swung the smaller woman in a tight circle, peppering her face in needy kisses. Setting her down, he cupped her face with both hands, his eyes taking in every inch of her. “I got your note! I knew you should have stayed with me on Berserker Island!”

Tengan smiled reassuringly and gently pried his hands away from her face. “Dagur, I’m fine. Really.” Leaning in, she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “I’m sorry my note scared you. We just didn’t want you or Heather to fly blindly into an ambush. Thank you for worrying about me, though.” She gently cocked her head to the side. “It’s good to see you. When did you land?” 

Hiccup cleared his throat as he sidled towards the exit. “About ten minutes ago.” He answered wearily. “I’m glad you made it back when you did, although I will admit I wasn’t expecting you back so soon. Was Gothi able to figure out what’s been going on with you?”

Dagur’s face flashed with worry once more as he rounded on the pair. “Gothi… that’s that old healer back on Berk, right? You’ve been sick!?” he questioned the curly haired girl before glaring at Hiccup. “She’s ill, and you still let her fly all that way on her own?!”

“It seems like you two have a LOT to catch up on!” Hiccup called out a little louder than usual. “I’ll just.. Uh, let you guys have the room. I’ll be… yep.” He finished lamely before turning on his heel and shuffling quickly out the open doorway.

Tengan glared at Hiccup’s retreating back before gently turning Dagur’s face towards her own. “Dagur. I’m. Fine.” She held his gaze for several seconds, astutely aware she was beginning to lose herself in his emerald eyes. “I’ve just been tired lately, that’s all.” She added quietly, a slight pang of guilt twisting her insides at the white lie. “Gothi agreed with me that I’m just a little overworked from rebuilding. Just in case, she sent me with a few herbs to take twice a day and sent me back with a few other things to restock our supplies.” She smiled, her face softening. “I’ve missed you. A lot, actually.”

Dagur’s shoulders sagged as he began to relax. “You don’t know how scared I was when I read your first note.” He answered in an uncharacteristically quiet voice, his hands coming up to rest on her hips. “I’m responsible for making sure you’re safe.” He stared down at the young woman, his face still mildly lined with worry.

Tengan smiled up at him, her chest light. “I can take care of myself, you know.” She teased lightly. “But I appreciate your concern and, again, I really am sorry I worried you.” She pressed another light kiss to his lips. ‘I can’t tell him about the child now.’ She thought glumly. ‘He’s still way too wound up about the Singetails. With how overprotective he is right now he’d probably tie me to Sletuher’s saddle and refuse to let me leave our house until after the child is born.’ Quickly, she changed the subject. “So if you got my letters that must mean you and Heather made it back to Berserker Isle. Have you found your father?”

“No, not yet.” He groaned, the worry finally melting from his face. “We found a journal of his but it’s full of nonsensical clues. Heather’s gone south to follow a trail in one of the passages but honestly it’s a waste of time. It’s all gibberish! And I should know, seeing as I’ve spent most of my life in varying states of existential crises!”

Tengan frowned and set her bag down before guiding Dagur to a nearby bench to take a seat. “I’m sorry.” She said simply and honestly as she took one of his hands into both of hers. “What’s your next move?”

Dagur sighed and opened his mouth to answer when the twins, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and Astrid burst into the hall following them.

“Have either of you seen Chicken!?” Tuffnut called out to the pair as he crawled around the room on his hands and knees, knocking over several objects in his frantic search.

Tengan’s brow furrowed as she stood just in time to avoid Tuffnut tossing her along with the bench she had been sitting on. “No, I’ve been on Berk visiting Gothi, remember Tuff?” She turned her puzzled gaze to the others. “What’s wrong?”

“Chicken’s missing again.” Astrid explained patiently as she gave Dagur a half wave in greeting. “I still say she might have needed some alone time.”

“And I still say something more sinister is going on.” Snotlout asserted as he approached the somewhat clueless couple. “Oh, hey Dagstur!” He called out in greeting before being flung backwards into the nearest wall.

Dagur snarled at Snotlout as he pinned the smaller viking to the wall with one forearm just under his throat. “You know I hate nicknames, Snothat.” He growled, his expression dark.

Snotlout held his hands up in surrender. “Nicknames are for buds, I thought we were buds.” He explained quickly, a sheepish smile on his face.

Tengan rolled her eyes before placing a placating hand on the arm Dagur was still using to hold Snotlout captive. “I hope that doesn’t apply to me.” She teased gently. 

A lovesick grin spread across the Berserker’s face as he released Snotlout and swept Tengan back into his arms. “Of course not, baby.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Hiccup poked his head back into the hall as the commotion died back down. “So, I see you all found Dagur.” He added with a small grin as he re-entered. 

Tengan rolled her eyes. “Yes, he was actually just about to let me know what his and Heather’s next step was in their search for Oswald.”

“Is Heather here too?” Fishlegs asked hopefully and glanced around the room while sidestepping the still frantically crawling Tuffnut.

Dagur shook his head as he withdrew an old leather journal. “No. She’s off chasing one of dear old Dad’s meaningless clues.” Shifting his grip, he passed the book off to Tengan. “I was actually hoping you could help me with this, baby. Heather’s been driving herself crazy chasing after each hint. She’s going to get herself killed if she keeps this up.” He shifted his attention to the group at large as he tugged Tengan closer to his side. “I don’t know if any of you have noticed, but people in my family can get a little fixated on things. Like, I don’t know… ruling an archipelago or catching a Skrill or-”

Tengan smirked up at Dagur as she cradled the book to her chest. “Or choosing a partner?” 

“And you’re afraid Heather has the same obsessive nature.” Hiccup concluded with a knowing smile.

“We’re Berserkers!” Dagur rebutted. “It’s in our blood!” Clearing his throat he stared down at the woman still caged in his arms. “Please Tengan, take a look at my Dad’s diary and see if there’s anything in there. A clue, a sign, a harbinger of doom! Something!”

Tengan, well aware Dagur had no plans to release his hold on her anytime soon and certainly not opposed to the notion, leaned her back against his chest and flipped through the first few pages. “Well, your father certainly didn’t want anyone to be able to read this.” She mused as she traced a specific passage with one finger. “The code is complicated but it’s similar to ones I’ve seen before…. Hey… wait a second.” Her face lit up.

“What?!” Dagur perked up as he glanced over her shoulder. “What is it?”

“Hiccup, Fishlegs, take a look at this sketch.” Holding the book open, she turned it to display the image to the boys. “Look familiar?”

“A Sentinel!” Hiccup and Fishlegs cried out in unison before sharing a meaningful look.

“A what?” Dagur asked as his head cocked to the side, one eyebrow raised quizzically.

“A Sentinel dragon.” Tengan answered, tilting her head back as far as she could to catch his eye. “There’s only one place those dragons live. If Oswald was around them long enough to make a few sketches, that means he must have been-”

“ARGHHH!” Tuffnut cried out as he leapt to his feet. “All of this is a waste of time! Chicken is still out there! Cold and alone!” With a choked sob, he ran from the hall.

“Let me know if you make it back alive.” Ruffnut called out to the others as she dutifully followed her distraught twin.

After a moment, Astrid sighed and shook her head. “Someone will need to stay behind to keep an eye on those two.” With a tight smile she trudged out of the hall.

“Oh, no way am I missing this. You all have fun with those death dragons!” Snotlout called before jogging out to follow the Chicken search party, a taunting cackle bubbling forth.

“Welp I guess that settles it.” Fishlegs clapped his hands together before heading towards the door. “I have to gather a few things. I’ll see you three at the stables!”

“Can anyone explain to me what’s going on?!” Dagur cried out in frustration.

“Vanaheim.” Hiccup answered simply with a stern expression. “Tengan can fill you in. See you at the stables.” 

Tengan nodded and gently unwound herself from Dagur’s embrace. Handing him back the journal, she shouldered her bag. “Comeon, I need to put this stuff away before we head out.” Taking his hand, she gently tugged him out onto the walkway and towards her newly rebuilt hut.

Allowing himself to be dragged along, Dagur deftly grabbed her bag and swung it over his shoulder as they walked. “What is this... Vanaheim?”

Tegan smiled appreciatively, knowing full well it would be a losing battle to try to ask for her bag back. “It’s a secret island where old and sick dragons go to spend their final days in peace. No matter what we find, no one else can know about its existence.” As they approached her hut, she chewed on her bottom lip, wondering if their brief moment alone would be a good time to let him in on Gothi’s true diagnosis.

Dagur nodded as he pushed the door to her hut open. “Got it. I’m sure you have a ton of notes on an island like that. Care to fill me in?” He asked with a smile as he gently ushered her inside.

Tengan froze as they entered her hut. Her throat dried entirely as she watched him look around her barren room, a horrified expression dawning on her face. 

“Woah.” Dagur commented on the nearly empty shelves as he set her bag down on the table. “Have you packed everything up already?”

Tengan frowned up at him, her heart hammering. “N-no, I… Dagur I’m so sorry.” She stuttered out. “I forgot to tell you…. When the Flier’s chased us out I-I couldn’t let them get my journals….” She took a shaky breath, guilt seeping into her mind. “I had to make a choice. It was either burn my work or let them use it to hurt more dragons. I’m so sorry!” She apologized again, her vision beginning to waver.

“Woah, woah!” Dagur gave her a confused stare before quickly crossing the room and tilting her head up to catch his eye. “Why in Thor’s name are you apologizing to me?”

Tengan fought the lump in her throat. “You were the one who spent months tracking those down for me. And now… all that work….”

Exhaling deeply, he pulled her into a strong embrace. “I got them back for you. Don’t apologize to me for being strong enough to destroy them so those spineless Flier’s couldn’t use them. That’s pretty Berserk, if I say so myself. It’s why I love you.”

Tengan swallowed quickly as she stared up at him, struggling to blink away the tears that were still threatening to fall.

“What’s with the face?” He asked gently, a reassuring smile stretching across his lips.

“You’ve never said that before.” She whispered in response, her puzzled expression still in place.

“Really?” Dagur asked the smaller woman in disbelief as he quickly skimmed through all their past conversations in his mind. “I suppose not. I mean, it is pretty obvious.”

Tengan laughed lightly, the sound hiccuping through the now loosening knot in her throat. “That is true… but it’s also nice to hear.”

Dagur smirked down at her and squeezed lightly. “In that case.” He made a show of clearing his throat. “I love you, Tengan. With all I have in me.”

Heat flushed through her face and neck at the gentle declaration. “I love you too, Dagur.” She whispered in return before letting her head drop to rest on his chest. She took several deep breaths, losing herself in the comforting, spicy smell that always seemed to cling to him. “Dagur… there’s something I-”

“Hurry up you two!” Hiccup’s voice carried to the pair from the open door. “It’s nearly midday already! We’ll barely make it before nightfall at this rate!”

“We really need to start shutting that door behind us.” Dagur groaned as he released Tengan with a small kiss on her cheek. “Did you have something you wanted to say, baby?” He smiled down at her, eyes gentle.

Tengan smiled back, her own tight. “Just that I’m excited! Hopefully I’ll be able to meet your father today!” Ignoring the guilty pang in her chest, she followed Dagur back to the stables.

As the small flock of dragons made their way towards Vanaheim, Tengan found herself harried by her own thoughts. After several impatient questions from Fishlegs, she relinquished the diary to the Gronckle rider and simply relaxed as best she could in the saddle.

“Dagur!” Hiccup called out from the front of the pack. “I know Tengan probably already said this but you can’t tell or show anyone where this island is. It’s too important to the dragons.” He concluded with a gentle pat on Toothless’ shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it, I'm great at keeping things to myself!” Dagur responded with a grin. “Anger, frustration, rage...”

“Oh I’m just so excited to be heading back to Vanaheim!” Fishlegs squealed. “It’s so full of mystery and mythology! What we saw last time was just a thread in the tapestry of its deep, rich history!”

Tengan smiled gently as Fishlegs began to treat Dagur to a long winded lecture of everything they had seen during their last visit to the island. Her smile widened as Hiccup and Toothless hung back slightly to sidle up next to her and Rumble. “Something on your mind?”

Hiccup smiled back. “Yeah, actually. You know we’re all really happy for you and Dagur right?”

Tengan nodded, wondering where this line of thinking was going. “I would hope so. But that’s not all you wanted to say, was it?”

Hiccup chuckled and cleared his throat. “No, no it’s not. I mean, I know you planned to eventually move to Berserker Island after he found his father, but with the Fliers and Viggo around….” He sighed. “We still need you. And Rumble. If we end up finding Oswald on Vanaheim...?” He left the question unfinished.

Tengan frowned, her brow furrowed deep in thought as she studied her childhood friend. “That was originally the plan, Hiccup.” She began delicately as her eyes drifted to watch Dagur laugh and joke with Fishlegs. “But now…. You’re right that there are new things I need to take into consideration.” She worded her statement carefully. “It’s something Dagur and I need to talk about. But that’s assuming this isn’t another dead end. Who knows, we might not find anything at all. It’s not like we saw anything that suggested someone was living there the last time we visited.” She smiled reassuringly. “There’s no use worrying about it now. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“I really hope we find SOMETHING on this island of decomposing dragons.” Dagur spoke loudly enough so his voice carried to the entire group. “For Heather’s sake. She really needs the closure. Oh man!” He looked quickly over at Tengan, his eyes wide with worry. “Should I have brought her with us?!” He flinched, gripping at his chest. “Ugh, what is this weird emotion I’m feeling? Is this….. Guilt?” He spat the word as a shudder racked his body. “I don’t like it!”

“Yeah..” Tengan agreed quietly with a strained smile as she fought the urge to look away. “It’s not the best feeling.”

“Well.” Hiccup interjected. “You said her obsession had become dangerous. You’re doing the right thing!” He asserted with a confident smile.

“There it is!” Fishlegs cut across the conversation. In the distance, the large, almost skeletal island came into view as the low hanging clouds began to part before the approaching Riders.

“Alright gang, here’s the plan.” Hiccup called out as he and Toothless took the lead once more. “We land, look for Oswald, then cover ourselves in fruit.”

Tengan caught onto Dagur’s perplexed expression. “The fruit is what covered our scent on the way out last time.” She explained in a low, patient voice.

“Ah, thanks, love!” Dagur winked back at her as they approached the first line of unmoving Sentinels. “I can’t believe those statues are actually real dragons.”

“Don’t worry.” Fishlegs asserted. “They won’t bother us on the way in. It’s the way out that’s going to be tricky.”

“Guys?” Tengan called out tensley to the group as she watched a Sentinel begin to twitch and stir as they glided over. “Something’s wrong!” Pulling back hard on Rumble’s saddle, she urged the Skrill to stop as several Sentinels began to climb towards them.

“Are you guys sure this is the right island?” Dagur questioned as he and Sleuther placed themselves between Tengan and the advancing dragons.

“They remember our scent form last time!” Hiccup called out as a trio of Sentinels sent a concussive blast of air towards the group. “They know we’re not sick dragons! They must have adapted! Ride out the blasts!” He instructed the others.

Tengan ducked to shield her face from the blast, thankful that Dagur and Sleuther had taken the brunt of it. As she turned her attention back to the Sentinels, her eyes caught the briefest flash of movement as several small dragons winged their way towards the island. “It looks like a small flock of sick dragons is landing here. If we wait, they might be distracted long enough-”

“Oh no!” Dagur cut her off as the Sentinels prepared another wing blast. “If those shifty dragons can land so can we. I did not come all this way to not find any answers! Stick close, and follow me!” With a nudge of his heels, he and Sleuther executed a tight backwards loop before diving straight at the Sentinels, the Triple Stryke’s wings pressed almost completely flat against his body.

“You heard the chief!” Tengan called out to her friends as she and Rumble mimicked the maneuver. The wind tore at her eyes as they dove. As their speed picked up, she was forced to shut them and completely rely on her dragon to guide them in their desperate dive.

As the group closed in on the Sentinels, their concussive wave jostled and slowed the advancing formation but was unable to stop their progress. As the dragons approached the sandy beach, their wings snapped open once more, slowing them all just enough for a rough landing.

Tengan tumbled out of a Rumble’s saddle and landed softly on her back in the sand. A desperate laugh tore through her throat as she sat up and grinned at her companions. “That was brilliant, Dagur! Using their attack to cushion our dive.”

“Uh, yep!” Dagur grinned sheepishly as he staggered to his feet before extending an arm down to her. “Why not, let’s go with that.”

Her smile shifted into a suspicious smirk as she let him pull her to her feet. “You had no idea what you were doing, did you?” She murmured quietly.

“Nope, not a clue.” He mumbled back as his free hand came up to rub the back of his head. “But it worked! And that’s all that matters.” Turning to Hiccup and Fishlegs, he glanced between the pair at the island spread out behind them. “So, where to next?”

Hiccup groaned as he massaged where his knee had collided with a rock embedded in the sand. “Well, the Sun is almost set. I say we make camp here for the night and start the search fresh in the morning. Fishlegs, mind helping me gather some fruit? Tengan and Dagur, you’re in charge of preparing camp.”

Tengan gave her friends a small, mock salute. “You got it boss.” She grinned, the adrenaline from their crash landing still pulsing through her. “Come, my love.” She nudged Dagur’s side. “It looks like there’s a bit of dry driftwood over the bluff.”

As dawn broke the following morning, Tengan dozed on, happily encased in Dagur’s arms as they pair lay sandwiched between Rumble and Slether. A sigh escaped her lips as she shifted in her sleep to bury her face into her lover's chest.

Dagur cracked open one eye and chuckled gently as she snuggled closer. “Sun’s up baby. Comeon.” He coaxed her into a sitting position as he bit back the urge to laugh at her somehow wilder mane of hair.

Tengan groaned and leaned as heavily against his shoulder as she could, refusing to open her eyes. “No….” she protested weakly.

“Yes.” Dagur countered as he stood, pulling her to her feet as well. “The others are already awake, sleepy head.”

“You’re mean.” Tengan whined under her breath as she staggered over to Rumble and extracted a leather pouch containing a small amount of the herbs Gothi had prescribed to her. Another pang of guilt clung to her as she stumbled over to where Fishlegs and Hiccup were sitting over the rekindled fire. ‘I’ll tell him after this is all over.’ She promised herself. ‘Right now we have to focus on finding Oswald and making sure Heather doesn’t hurt herself.’

“Wow.” Fishlegs commented as he passed the couple a few pieces of fruit. “That is the fastest I’ve ever seen anyone wake her up.”

Hiccup chuckled. “You have a point. Remember when Astrid tried to get her up early for that last minute, predawn training session?”

Tengan sleepily glared at the pair as she filled a small tin cup with a pinch of her herbs and water from a spare wineskin before placing it over the bed of coals to heat up. “I thought we agreed not to speak of that again?” She grumbled to the pair. “I was half asleep and thought a Hunter had snuck in. Besides, the cut eventually healed. You can barely see the scar anymore.”

“Oh, now I definitely need to hear the rest of this story.” Dagur chimed in with a wicked grin as he gently nudged her in the ribs.

As the group finished eating the dragons finally roused themselves and crawled over to greet their partners. With the fire put out and their fruit pits buried in the sand, the small formation took off to start searching the island. Seeing as the pages in Oswald’s journal right after the Sentinel sketches had a drawing of what looked to be a unique cave or skull formation, that’s what they decided to look for first.

As the Sun climbed higher into the sky, their search began to take on a more desperate note as every section they checked had a dissappoing lack of any odd formations.

“Trying to think positively here!” Dagur eventually spoke up in a falsely chipper voice. “But it feels like we’ve been flying in circles.”

“Wait!” Fishlegs called out. “I found something!” Straightening up over the fallen log he had been crouched over, he held up a small, white object. “There are teeth stuck in the wood! Maybe from a sharp class dragon?”

“There are more over here!” Hiccup added as he walked around the remnants of a long dead tree.

“Woah!” Tengan gasped as she jogged over to inspect Hiccup’s stump. “I’ve never seen anything like this. It looks like these were shot into the tree, kind of like Stormfly’s spines. See?” She traced the oddly straight pattern of the embedded tree. “There’s no cracking to indicate any pressure along the trunk and the teeth are too straight to be from a bite. Is it possible we’re looking at a dragon that can fire it’s teeth at will?”

“Great!” Dagur groaned as he threw his arms up in apparent defeat. “So, besides finding a bunch of dragon teeth, the diary led us to another dead end!” Huffing, she slammed his back against a nearby boulder. “Yippie.” He added bitterly.

Tengan tore her attention away from the discovery and frowned sympathetically. As she began to approach the pouting Berserker, she and the others were momentarily distracted as Toothless let out a low, keening cry.

“Uh guys…” Hiccup began as he followed his dragon’s gaze. “You might want to take a second look at this.”

Tengan followed Toothless and Hiccup’s stares, her jaw dropping as she began to comprehend the scale of what they were looking at. The rock formation along the area they were searching was actually a pile of bones so large and so old they had become part of the landscape. “Woah… Wait…” She glanced around, squinting towards the far side of the island. “If I’m seeing this correctly all the cliffs and hills on the island could be from this one dragon’s skeleton!”

“Oh. My. Thor.” Fishlegs gasped as he glanced between the odd sketch in the diary and what was now clearly a cavernous skull laid out before them.

“Oh my Thor is right!” Dagur exclaimed as he launched himself off of what the group now knew to be a discarded tooth the approximate size of a fully grown Nadder. 

“This proved Oswald was here!” Hiccup cheered, an ecstatic grin lighting up his face. “In fact, he might still be here!”

Dagur’s face fell as his body stiffened. “Oh.” He cuckold nervously. “I hadn’t thought of that.” He admitted quietly as the group slowly began to walk towards the gaping maw of the skull. “I hadn’t thought of that at all.”

Tengan glanced at the Berserker out of the corner of her eye as the group mounted up and began to fly after Toothless through the long dark tunnel hidden within the skull. As they breached the other side into a small, hidden grove of trees surrounding a pond, she started to speak, only to clamp her mouth shut as Rumble crouched low to the ground and growled.

“What is it bud?” Hiccup asked as Toothless mirrored the Skrill’s motions.

All at once, six dragons barely longer than Meatlug and almost as slim as a Timberjack sprang out from the surrounding bushes, effectively cornering the group. Landing, the pack pressed in slowly, their triangular heads weaving on their elongated necks as they hissed and growled. The one closest to Meatlug screeched before firing several small projectiles at the Gronckle from it’s gaping mouth.

Fishlegs screamed as he dove out of the saddle just in time, narrowly missing the projectiles as they embedded themselves in the trunk of the tree directly behind him. “They’re are the same teeth we found earlier!” He cried out the warning to the group. These dragons aren’t sick at all!”

“They’re hunting.” Hiccup finished grimly as he scanned their newest threat. 

Tengan glanced nervously between two of the smaller dragons as they advanced on either side of Rumble. She barely caught sight of Dagur being thrown off of Sleuther as the Triple Stryke reared abruptly to avoid a wave of teeth aimed at his eyes. “No!” She cried out as one of the small dragons began to circle around, it’s narrow eyes locked on the downed Viking. “Rumble, we need a warning shot.” She growled in her dragon’s ear. “Everyone! Cover your eyes!” She called out to the group before throwing her arm over her face.

Rumble roared a deafening challenge at the advancing dragons as the air surrounding him crackled with energy. A cascade of lightning danced around him for just a moment before the energy manifested in a bright explosion of light, heat, and sound.

As the Riders began to cautiously open their eyes once more, they barely caught sight of the hunting dragon pack fleeing into the dense treeline. 

“That was close.” Fishlegs sighed as he glanced around, making sure none had stayed behind. “Wait…. What’s that?” He pointed off in the direction the ambush had come from. Through the disturbed underbrush, he could barely make out what was unmistakably a man made shelter.

“No way!” Tengan gasped as the Riders quickly jogged over to the structure. The simple hut was built into the side of a nearby cliff face and seemed to be composed of native stones and salvaged wood. 

“That door… and most of this wood...” Hiccup mused as he examined the painted wood. “It’s been salvaged from a Berserker Galleon.”

“He was shipwrecked.” Dagur muttered to himself, his fists clenching as he stared at the structure.

Tengan, just barely catching Dagurs comment, turned away from the hut and sidled up to him. Lacing her fingers with his, she smiled encouragingly. “Is everything alright?”

Dagur jumped slightly at the contact as his concentration broke. “Uh, yeah, yeah. I’m fine. It’s just… uh maybe we should take snack break first? We’ve been doing a lot today and I don’t want you to exhaust yourself, baby.” He offered quickly as he took several steps backwards, tugging Tengan along with him.

Tengan frowned at her betrothed before turning to the others. “Could you guys give us a minute, please?” She smiled appreciatively as Hiccup and Fishlegs quickly cleared out under the guise of keeping watch for the hostile dragons. “Alright, what’s going on?” She pressed gently once the pair was alone.

Dagur frowned, his eyes fixated on the Berserker crest painted on the door of the simple hut. “Someone had to do it, right? Lead the Berserkers?” His words were desperate as his grasp on her hand tightened slightly. “Maybe it was a bit of a power grab, you know... Taking over the moment Oswald went missing… Do you think he’ll blame me?” He finished quietly, his voice shaking.

Tengan stared up at him for several dumbstruck seconds, her heart breaking as she watched him break down. “Dagur, look at me. Please.” She said firmly as she stepped in front of him, bringing her free hand up to cup his cheek. “If even half of what you’ve told me about your father is true he would never blame you for what happened. It must have been a daunting task to take up his mantle and protect your people. And yet, you did.” She smiled lovingly up at him. “Granted, you have made a few mistakes, but you’ve grown into such a strong leader and a son any father would be proud of. He loves you Dagur, and always will.”

Sighing shakily, he released her hand and flung his arms over her shoulders, his weight sagging onto her smaller frame. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He admitted in a soft whisper as he held onto her for several moments.

Tengan shook slightly as she struggled to support both of them. Rubbing small, soothing circles into his back with the pads of her fingers, she stood there quietly for a while, content just to hold the unknowing father of their growing child as she silently comforted him. 

“I can do this.” Dagur quietly whispered more to himself than anyone else as he reluctantly straightened and released Tengan. Giving her a small, nervous smile, he turned away and slowly inched his way towards the door, his arm reaching out to lightly rap on the reclaimed wood. After several seconds with no answer, he carefully pulled the door open, wincing as it creaked on rusted hinges. “Daddy?” He called out cautiously into the dark space, his eyes darting along the few items in the mostly barren room. As his gaze fell to the floor, a strangled cry escaped his throat before he sank to his knees.

“Oh no.” Tengan murmured to herself as she covered the distance to the hut in three hurried strides. She briefly caught sight of a mummified, skeletal body before she fell to the ground next to her grieving partner. Silently, she sat next to Dagur for several long minutes, one hand delicately placed on his back as she studied his face for any movement or change in expression.

Dagur sat slumped on the ground, tears silently rolling down his cheeks as he stared at his father’s body. Several times he tried to speak but only a strangled croak emerged before a few more tears escaped and fell. 

“Are you guys alright?!” Hiccup called as he and Fishlegs landed. Jogging up to the group, he glanced around nervously. “We heard a yell. What did- oh.” He trailed off as he pieced together the sight before him.

Tengan turned slightly to shake her head at Hiccup once before resuming her silent vigil.

Dagur hardly noticed the others’ arrival until he felt Hiccup’s hand on his shoulder. Closing his eyes, he took a deep, steadying breath before climbing to his feet. “I won’t leave him like this.”

Tengan, still on her knees, stared up at the determined Berserker. “Would you like help?” She asked gently.

Dagur glanced down at her, his eyes briefly flashing with appreciation before he shook his head. “No. This is something I have to do on my own.”

The burial took the remainder of the day. Tengan tended to Rumble and Sleuther while refraining from troubling Dagur as he strode along the shore of the pond in search of suitable stones for the cairn. Although, she made sure to always be within hailing distance just in case he needed something. As day slipped into night, she looked up from absent-mindedly stoking Sleuther and caught sight of Dagur placing Oswald’s helmet and shield atop the completed mound. Slowly, she approached, stopping to bow her head in respect for the man she would never have the chance to meet. 

“This was all my fault.” Dagur whimpered as he fell to his knees once more. “He was stranded. He died here. All alone….”

“You had no idea where he was.” Hiccup countered gently as he slowly approached.

“I-I never sent a search party!” Dagur cried out, his face twisting with grief. “I should have tried! Done something!”

Tengan threw herself to her knees next to him and gently turned his head to face her. “This is not your fault.” She said sternly, her eyes boring into his. “There was no way you could have known any of this would have happened. Your father loved you, no matter what.” She finished softly.

“I wish I could believe you.” Dagur responded glumly as he placed his hand over hers. “But now, we’ll never know.” He turned back to face the grave, his expression dark.

“Guys?” Fishlegs’ voice carried over from inside Oswald’s hut. “You all really need to see this.”

Tengan gently tugged Dagur to his feet and led the defeated Berserker back towards the hut. As they ducked inside, she let her gaze follow to the stone wall that made up the back of the modest home. 

“We were right about those dragons from before.” The Gronckle rider gestured to a charcoal drawing on the cave wall. “Oswald named them Grim Gnashers. They prey on the sick and dying dragons.” He lifted a small journal from a stone bench and opened it to a marked page. “Apparently, he would help fight them off. Your dad was a hero.” He finished with a small smile.

Dagur’s head perked up at Fishlegs’ words. He stared at the cave wall, taking in all the markings and sketches for the first time. “Of course he was.” He responded with a sad smile. “He was a Berserker.” HIs smile widened ever so slightly as he laid eyes on the centermost drawing: a rough portrait of himself and Heather smiling down at the makeshift desk.

Tengan gave his hand a comforting squeeze as she glanced around the room, readily taking in the details. Her eyes were quickly drawn to a receded hole several feet above the cave floor with a ladder resting just beneath it. Climbing the ladder, she retrieved a small wooden box and set it down on the stone desk before slowly opening it. “There are two scrolls inside.” She announced before stepping to the side to allow Dagur to approach.

Lifting the scrolls, the Berserker frowned as he read the inscriptions on each. “This one’s for Heather… and the other…. is for me?” He finished, his brows rising in surprise.

“You should read it then.” Tengan gently encouraged as she smiled up at him.

Dagur clutched the letter to his chest as he glanced between his friends. “Yeah, I.. ok.” Turning on his heel, he carefully tucked Heather’s note into his belt as he disappeared into the gloom.

Tengan stared at the empty doorway for several seconds before turning to face Hiccup and Fishlegs. “There’s something I need your help with.” She stated firmly, her eyes twinkling with determination. “Fishlegs, I need you to look through all of Oswald’s journals and separate out the ones that look like they might fall apart.”

“Of course.” Fishlegs smiled and nodded before turning to begin his task.

Tengan smiled in thanks before turning to Hiccup. “While he’s sorting, can you construct a few makeshift bags and crates with what’s around? I don’t want to leave anything behind.”

Hiccup smiled back, com[rehension dawning on his face. “Shouldn’t be a problem. What are you going to do?”

Tengan withdrew a charcoal pencil from the hidden pocket in her shirt with a shaky sigh. “Hopefully, if I do this right, I’ll be able to give Dagur a perfect copy of his father’s drawing.” Approaching the portrait of Dagur and Heather, she began to slowly and carefully trace over the older lines with her pencil. Every other second or so she paused and examined her work to make sure none of her lines extended beyond the original piece. Several times she forced her arms to bend at unnatural angles to avoid smudging or spreading the lines. As she worked the muted sounds of Fishlegs flipping through pages and Hiccup gently hammering a crate together with his spare prosthetic leg seemed to almost completely fade away. 

Finally, long after the boys had secured all of Oswald’s works to the dragons' saddles and the new morning’s Sun began to peek over the horizon, she stepped back from the portrait and studied it carefully. She’d only have one chance to transfer the image. WIth a heavy sigh, she quickly jogged outside and extracted a blank scroll form Rumble’s saddle bag, pausing only long enough to give the dozing dragon a few quick scratches. Returning to the portrait, she unrolled the parchment and spent several moments lining it up so no lines would travel off the page. Well aware the others were watching her, she slowly approached and laid the paper flat against the traced image. As the paper made contact with the wall, she leaned her weight against the scroll, using her hands to firmly smooth it out several times in each direction.

“Here goes nothing.” She mumbled to herself as she slowly backed away, peeling the paper with her. Slowly, she turned to face the waiting Fishlegs and Hiccup. “Well?” She asked hesitantly, glancing down at the transferred artwork.

“He’s going to love it.” Hiccup nodded approvingly.

The unmistakable cry of a panicked Gronckle cut through the calm, early morning air. The Riders sprinted out of the hut and nervously looked around.

“Oh Thank Thor!” Fishlegs cried out as he threw his arms around Meatlug. ”But if you didn’t make that sound then who?”

Tengan’s head whipped up as Dagur’s Berserker war cry echoed across the valley. “Up there!” She called out as she scrambled into Rumble’s saddle. “Dagur’s up against that pack of Grim Gnashers from before! They must have been going after a sick Gronckle.”

“Then we better help him!” Hiccup hollered back as he and Toothless surged into the air. “Now, bud! Plasma Blast!” He cheered as the blast connected with a pair of Gnashers that had begun to circle behind the Triple Stryke.

“Oh no you don’t!” Tengan growled as several more broke off to face them. Her growl morphed into a triumphant cry as Rumble landed a heavy blow across an advancing Gnasher’s back with his spiked tail.

“Dagur!” Hiccup called out and he and Toothless held a few more at bay with a well placed Plasma Blast. “Time to finish this! Fishlegs, you and Meatlug cover the Gronckle!”

“On it!” Dagur roared back as he and Sleuther charged the pack while Meatlug angled back towards the ground to cover the weakened Gronckle. 

Tengan and Rumble hung back with Hiccup and Toothless as they harried any Grim Gnashers that tried to slip past them to get at the Gronckle. Any that managed to outmaneuver the pair were quickly sent scurrying away as Meatlug and Fishlegs pelted the would be attacker with chunks of molten lava.

Despite their best efforts, the pack of Gnashers refused to turn tail. “We need more dragon power!” HIccup yelled out to the others in desperation. “I don’t know how much longer we can hold them off!”

The grating roar of the Sentinels shook the air with its force as three slowly climbed to face off against the pack of Gnashers. In unison, the trio hit the scattering pack with a concussive wing bast, sending them tumbling out over the open ocean.

“Yeah, that’s right!” Dagur yelled at the retreating dragons. “This is Oswald’s island you shifty sky vermin!” A triumphant laugh bubbled up from within him as he pumped a victorious fist in the air. “You know, for a battle with no fatalities, that was actually pretty fun!”

Tengan beamed at her fiery-haired Berserker. “It’s good to have you back!” She called out as Rumble climbed to hover next to Sleuther. Glancing up at the circling Sentinels, she continued. “It’s time to go.” She said gently. “Were you able to find what you needed in your letter?”

Dagur nodded, his expression bittersweet. “Yes, I did. It was like you said, Dad’s proud of me. I just wish you could have met him.”

“Me too.” She agreed softly. “Luckily I have you to tell me all I need to know about the men who would have been my second father.”

As the Riders made to break away from the coast, the dragons abruptly halted as the trio of Sentinels broke away to block their exit. Before they could do more than balk, they each roared gently before bowing their heads and backing away to reveal a gap.

“What are they doing?” Dagur asked skeptically as he glanced between the large dragons.

”Looks like they’re thanking us!” Hiccup answered incredulously as he led the others through the gap and out towards the open ocean.

As the distance between Vanaheim and their small formation grew, Tengan finally relaxed as she hid a large yawn behind her hands. “We should probably head to Berserker Isle before heading back to the Edge.” She said with a sleepy smile. “There are a few things we need to drop off.”

“What are you talking about?” Dagur asked as he glanced between the other Riders, his eyes landing on the extra bags and crates for the first time. “What’s all that?”

“Tengan had us help her pack up all of Oswald’s work last night.” Fishlegs answered as he fished a battered book out of his saddle bag. “Can you believe it? This one book has over one hundred fruit recipes!”

Dagur smiled gently at his sleepy eyed Rider. “Thank you.” He nodded in appreciation before retrieving Oswald’s scroll to Heather from his belt. “I need to get this to Heather right away as well. She should be back home by now.”

“Hey maybe you could bring her back here sometime.” Hiccup called over his shoulder. “We seemed to have earned the Sentinel’s respect. Might not be a bad idea.”

“Wait, I EARNED respect?” Dagur asked quizzically, one eyebrow arching up towards his hairline. “I’m just so used to demanding it… that’s crazy.”

“Will you guys wake me when we get close to Berserker Isle?” Tengan asked through a yawn as she laid back until she laid flat in the saddle, her eyes already drifting shut. “I’m going to try to get some sleep…..”

“Uh…” Fishlegs interrupted as he examined a small scrap of paper that had been hanging out of the recipe book. “You may want to take a look at this first. Is this what I think it is?” He asked the group at large as he displayed a detailed sketch of what was unmistakably a pair of Dragon Eye lenses.

“I still can’t believe none of us ever noticed Heather was literally wearing a Dragon Eye lens on her belt this entire time.” Tengan blurted out sleepily as they landed in the stables on Berserker Island in the early afternoon. “Well, at least we know it’s safe.” As the last bag of Osland’s works were untied from Rumble’s saddle, she paused to stretch her arms over her head. “Are you alright?” She asked quietly as she caught sight of Dagur’s concerned expression.

“Oh, uh, never better.” The Berserker chief responded much too quickly as he avoided her gaze. Groaning, he forced himself to meet her eyes squarely. “No, no I’m not. I have to tell Heather the father she’s been maniacally searching for is dead.”

Tengan frowned and stooped to retrieve a tightly rolled scroll from her bag. “Here.” She said softly as she pressed the paper into Dagur’s hands. “I wanted to give this to both of you, but I think you need to see it now.”

Dagur glanced between his bleary eyed beloved and the scroll in his hands several times before quickly unrolling it. His eyes widened as he gazed down on Oswald’s rendition of his younger, scar free smiling self next to an equally young Heather with shorter hair and rounder cheeks.

“It’s what I was working on last night.” She explained with a gentle, tired smile. “She needs to know, Dagur. And you’re the only person who has the right to tell her.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

Dagur quickly rolled up the parchment before pulling Tengan to him in a one-armed hug. Releasing her, he met her gaze squarely. “After I break the news to Heather, you and I have a lot to talk about.” He smiled gently.

Tengan chuckled nervously. “Yes, yes we do.” She agreed, her mind flashing back to her time at Gothi's hut. It felt as if she had been given the news weeks ago rather than the few short days that had passed.

“Chief!” A warm voice boomed out from the doorway as Kralins approached. “Oh, hello again Tengan!” He smiled down at the young woman. “Good to see you again.”

Tengan returned his smile with an exhausted one of her own. “Nice to see you too Kralins! Any more luck getting the metal off your chest?”

The large viking laughed and slapped his knee. “Nope! Not in the slightest. It’s completely healed now though. Only bothers me on really cold nights.”

“Was there something you needed Kralins?” Dagur spoke up as he slid an arm around Tengan’s waist. “Certainly you didn’t climb all the way up here just to welcome me back.”

Kralins gave his commander a rueful smile. “While it is good to have you back sir, I have news for you about Heather.”

“Oh good!” Dagur straightened, the arm draped over Tengan stiffening slightly. “Where is she? I actually have news for her.”

“You didn’t hear?” Kralin’s brow furrowed in confusion before an excited smile crept onto his face. “She left with Trader Johann for the Northern Markets. Apparently, he found a man who says Oswald is alive!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 25 will pick up where we left off in "Sins of the Past" and will carry into "In Plain Sight". Hopefully, Tengan will find the right time to fill Dagur in on her little secret!


	25. A Growing Pack

“I still say you should head back and get some sleep!” Dagur called out as he and Sleuther leveled out alongside Rumble. His concerned frown deepened as he caught sight of the dark shadows framing Tengan’s eyes.

“No way!” She roared back, shaking her head partially to emphasize her refusal and partly to throw off the haze of fatigue. “Heather is as good as my sister now too. No way I’m just going to wait around worried half to death if you’re all ok. I wouldn’t be able to sleep until you all made it back anyway.”

“Let it go, Dagur.” Hiccup advised with a warning tone. “I’ve had this argument with her more times than I can count. Haven’t won one yet.”

“We might need all the help we can get!” Fishlegs piped up. “Johann and Heather are walking right into a trap!”

Dagur groaned, the sound laced with frustration, as he held Tengan’s unwavering glare. “The second I think you’re too tired to keep up, I’m sending you back. You hear me?” 

Tengan nodded once, an exhausted, feral grin stretching across her features. “Whatever you say, my love. Now let’s not waste any more time! We have no idea how much of a head start they had on us!” As the dragons maintained their headstrong pace, she had to admit she was impressed with Meatlug. While they had to refrain from flying at their top speed to accommodate the Gronckle, she was doing her absolute best to keep pace with the others.

Thanks to their efforts, the far cliffs of island housing the market began to creep into view just as the sun began to descend towards the waves. The small formation of Riders shook the aches out of their limbs and toyed with the bindings holding their weapons to ensure nothing would get caught if they were needed. Landing just outside the outermost stalls, the group hurried into the still bustling market, their winded dragons crawling along behind them.

“Alright gang.” Hiccup murmured. “It’s too dangerous to leave the dragons behind but we don’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves. So let’s try to keep a relatively low profile, ok?”

At the first stall, Dagur broke off from the group and charged the unsuspecting merchant. Lifting the poor man off the ground with one arm, he snarled his demands. “A girl with dark hair and a silver dragon, have you seen her?!” His scowl deepened as the stammering merchant failed to string together a coherent answer. “Are you listening to me?! Am I speaking some sort of foreign tongue?! Tell me where my sister is or your head will end up on the end of a long pole attached TO MY SHIP!”

“I guess he missed the part about being discrete.” Hiccup grumbled with a tired, defeated shrug of his shoulders.

“I mean, that is pretty discrete, for Dagur.” Fishlegs countered, his eyes beginning to droop.

“I got this one.” Tengan bit the side of her tongue to hide a yawn. ‘All nighters are much more difficult when you’re sleeping for two.’ The groggy thought drifted through her mind as she all but dragged her feet towards her rampaging Berserker. “His hair doesn’t match the stain of the lead ship. The colors would clash.” She murmured quietly as she pressed down on Dagur’s arm, encouraging him to lower the stuttering man to the floor. 

“Fair point.” Dagur conceded as he lowered his captive to the floor while maintaining a grip on the front of his tunic. “But he won’t talk! What do you think we should do to him, baby? We could throw him to the Screaming Eels! No… it would take too long to fly there...”

“Call me old fashioned!” Hiccup interrupted, his eyes wide. “But maybe this isn’t the best way to get him to do what we want.”

“You’re right!” Dagur perked up as he effortlessly tossed the now blubbering merchant over Tengan’s head and out of his own stall. “I’m being too soft. I should REALLY work them over!” With clenched fists and a horrifyingly furious glare, he stormed back out into the market.

“What was that?” Hiccup turned on Tengan, mildly frustrated. “I thought you were going to handle him?”

She shrugged mildly, her heavy eyes narrowing. “I was going to but he has a point. Heather and Johann are in danger, and half of these shifty merchants would sell them for a few pieces of silver. We rarely come this way to trade anymore so it’s not like we’ll be burning any bridges.” She began to follow Dagur as he hunted down his next interrogation victim. “Besides, word travels fast whenever we’re here. The sooner we know where to go, the faster we can get out of this viper’s nest.”

“She does make several good points.” Fishlegs chimed in, always the peacemaker, as he glanced over his shoulder. Several shoppers and traders were already whispering and pointing at the four dragons resting in the market-square.

“You’re no help.” Hiccup groaned as he trotted after Dagur. “No!” He scolded as the Berserker dunked his new captive headfirst into a bucket of grain. “We’re not going to work anyone over!”

“Alright, alright! I’ll tell you everything I know!” The muffled voice of the merchant rose from the barrel as his arms flailed helplessly. 

“Now we’re getting somewhere!” Dagur grinned as he yanked the man back out of the barrel by the scruff of his shirt. “Well? Let’s hear it!”

“There was a fight.” The man began as he glanced down at his legs dangling uselessly above the ground. “A short, stocky, loud-mouthed viking was with a beautiful raven-haired woman! They were accompanied by the merchant they call Johann.”

A surge of adrenaline washed away her fatigue as Tengan straightened. “So she was here!” She quickly approached the suspended merchant. “Where did they go? What was that about a fight?”

“ANSWER HER!” Dagur roared as he shook the man like a dog would a small animal clamped in its jaws.

“It ended in a stalemate!” The shopkeep cried out. “At least, as far as I could tell. Then the three Dragon Riders fled north, followed by a large group of Dragon Fliers!” His voice dropped as he gazed longingly at the ground. “Oh, I’d hate to be those Riders if the Fliers find them. They’ll end up like… well.... you know.” He finished darkly.

“Please let me hurt him.” Dagur growled as he shook the merchant once more. “Please? Just a little bit?”

Tengan glared at the merchant before shaking her head. “If what he says is true we don’t have the time. Although,” She added, her expression grim. “I hope for your sake you’re telling the truth. My betrothed here HATES being lied to.”

“It’s the truth I swear!” He cried out, pressing his palms together in a pleading gesture. “Now please let me go!”

Dagur rolled his eyes in disgust before effortlessly tossing the man over his shoulder. “Let’s head North. We need to find Heather before….” He trailed off as his shoulders sagged. “This is all my fault.” He added quietly, his eyes glued to the dirt beneath his boots.

“No.” Hiccup chimed in before the others could react. “And Heather is a Berserker, which means she’s an awesome warrior. And she had Windshear. Those two are tough to beat.”

“And,” Fishlegs added. “If I understood him correctly that third person is probably Snotlout.”

“So we subtract a warrior then.” Dagur added glumly.

“As much as I hate to admit it.” Fishlegs chuckled dryly. “Snotlout can actually be pretty handy in an air battle.”

“They’re right.” Tengan smiled reassuringly as she took one of Dagur’s hands in both of hers. “We know which way she was headed in last and now we know she wasn’t alone. Let’s go find our sister.” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

Moments later, the four dragons took to the sky and angled north. Their wings beat heavily against a strong headwind as they carried on through their apparent exhaustion, driven by their Rider’s unwavering encouragement. As the moon began to rise, a cluster of sea stacks rose into view a little ways off the northern shore.

“You’re doing great, boy.” Tengan cooed in her dragon’s ear as she bent low over the saddle to reduce their resistance as much as possible. “It can’t be that much further now.”

“Look!” Hiccup yelled, his face twisted with horror as he watched Krogan, sitting atop the alpha Singetail rise from one of the largest stacks and knock a large, dragon proof cage into the roaring waters below.

“Was that- oh stars, WINDSHEAR!” Tengan cried out as she caught the briefest glimpse of the Razorwhip’s scales before she sank beneath the waves. “We have to help!” She urged Rumble to dive towards the waves, struggling to get the panicky Skrill to approach the rippling water.

“Heather’s gone in after her!” Fishlegs screeched as he pointed towards the rapidly disappearing form of the raven-haired Berserker woman. As he and Meatlug pulled alongside Hookfang, who was breathing a bit heavier under the weight of two riders, he could only watch as she dove after the rapidly sinking cage.

“It’s no use!” Tengan moaned as Rumble climbed away from the surf. “He’s too spooked by the water!” Her wide eyes darted along the terrifyingly calm sea beneath them. “Dagur!” She called out to him, her voice breaking as she screamed the plea.

“On it!” The Berserker chief hollered back as he tipped forward into his saddle. Sleuther dove headfirst into the waves, a large wall of water spraying up behind them. For a long, painfully silent moment, no movement could be seen under the curtain of the gently rolling sea. Then, with increasing speed, a large yellow mass began to approach the surface. Sleuther broke through the waves, his wings straining to gain altitude as he hoisted the cage confining Windshear with his braided tails. “Sis, what did I tell you about swimming this time of year?” He playfully teased his sister as he directed Sleuther to set the cage down on the nearest sea stack.

Still gasping to regain her breath, Heather grinned up at her brother through curtains of dripping hair. After a quick blast on the cage’s lock from Toothless, she scrambled onto her newly freed dragon and took off to join the others. “Thanks, brother.”

“Are you both ok?” Tengan asked sternly as she approached the soaked pair, her eyes raking over them for any injuries. She could still feel her heat hammering with residual pulses of fear from the close call.

“We’re fine.” She dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. “But Krogan has my Dragon Eye lens.” She snarled in the direction of the hovering Singetail army.

“How could they have known what it was?” Hiccup growled in frustration. “We just found out this morning and it was only because of Oswald’s papers!”

“Wait, you found something about my father?” Heather asked sharply, her face perking up.

“Yes.” Tengan answered slowly with a sideways glance over at her soon to be sister.. “Dagur can fill you in once we’re somewhere safer.”

“Tengan’s right.” Hiccup chimed in. “For now, I’m going after Krogan. We need to know how they found out about your lens.” Without waiting for a response, he and Toothless whirled around to face the fleeing Singetails.

“Are we sure he isn’t at least part Berserker?” Snotlout groaned as the others chased after the Night Fury. “Cuz he’s been pretty reckless lately!”

“I know! Isn’t it GREAT!” Dagur cheered as they crested over a heavy, gray cloud and closed the gap on their prey.

Hiccup and Toothless had already begun their assault on Krogan; the Night Fury twisted in the air as he fired off several shots at the large Singetail. As the lead Flier struggled to maintain control of his dragon, the lens slipped from his grasp and began to tumble towards the dark waters below.

“I’m on it!” Hiccup yelled to the others as he dove after the plummeting lens. As the pair closed in on their target, several blasts from the opposing Sinetails forced them to veer out of the way, abandoning their pursuit.

“Guess it’s up to me!” Snotlout crowed as he, Hookfang, and a very panicky Johann plunged almost straight down after the tiny prize. Catching sight of Krogan, now back in control of his dragon, darting out to meet them, he simultaneously launched a small grain bag at the Flier with one arm as he plunged his free hand out to clasp onto the lens seconds before it disappeared into the ocean.

Tengan cheered as the grain bag, upon meeting the Singetail’s fire, burst open in an explosion of small white puffs, granting the Rider enough time to pull out of the reckless dive. Her cheer turned into a shout of warning as another Flier peeled off to harry the Monstrous Nightmare. “Snotlout! Over here!” She hollered, throwing her arm up. As the lens soared over to her, she caught sight of two Singetails breaking off to flank her. “Coming your way, love!” She cried out as she directed Rumble to bounce the lens in a high arc off his left wing.

The glittering treasure soared through the air to Dagur, who quickly launched it over to Fishlegs, who gently dropped it down to a waiting Heather, who lobbed it back towards Snotlout and Johann. Both men made desperate grabs for the lens, causing it to fumble out of their grips and plummet towards the sea once more.

“No!” Hiccup roared in frustration as Krogan dove and successfully retrieved the lens. He started to pursue the lead Flier once more but was forced to pull back when several Singetails fired simultaneously on the Riders. As the smoke cleared from their attack, he could barely make out the blurry outlines of the fleeing dragons disappeared into the cloud bank. “It’s gone. They have the lens!” He groaned.

“Hey, Hiccup. We got Heather and Windshear.” Fishlegs all but growled in response, his expression uncharacteristically fierce.

“You’re right, Fishlegs.” HIccup conceded, forcing himself to relax. “And given the choice, there is no choice.”

“Not the way I imagined us meeting up again.” Tengan called out good naturedly to the dark-haired Berserker. 

“Hey!” Heather retorted playfully. “You knew what you signed up for when you put on that necklace.” She winked at her brother.

“Fair point.” Tengan conceded with a small smile. “Let’s get you and WIndshear somewhere safe. I know you said you’re alright but the water is cold this time of year. You need to get out of those wet clothes.”

“The Edge is closest.” Fishles piped up, his voice hopeful as he stared longingly towards Heather.

“Oh whatever, can we please get going!” Snotlout interrupted. “I need to get Mr. Yak-Butter Fingers over here off my back!” He jabbed an angry thumb at the still slightly shaking Johann.

“That reminds me, what was in that bag of grain, Snotlout?” Tengan asked, her head cocked to the side. “I’ve never seen anything explode like that.”

“A crazy expensive bag of feed for the twins' chickens. It’s why I was out here at the stupid market in the first place.” He shrugged his shoulders violently to shake off Johann’s hold.

“Ah, that would explain your…. outfit.” She drew out the word as, even in the dim moonlight, she could clearly make out Snotlout’s ragged appearance.

“Shut up, Tengan!” Snotlout grumbled back before quickly sending Hookfang into a dive to avoid Dagur’s sailing fist.

The flight back to the Edge was blessedly uneventful, besides their brief pause to drop Johann off on his ship. Thankfully, he had moored it to a tiny cluster of sea stacks not too far away from the Edge and they hadn’t needed to go too far off their course As the adrenaline from the battle wore off, Tengan found herself struggling to keep her eyes open. Between two days of no sleep and several missed doses of Gothi’s herbal supplements, the world seemed permanently tilted and almost began to spin. Through her exhausted daze, she almost failed to notice the hushed conversation between Dagur and Heather as the siblings hung back a ways from the group. 

Their topic of conversation became clear as they landed near the stables early the following morning. Heather slid out of Windshear’s saddle and collapsed to her knees, a choked sob ripping through her body. The others could only watch in a respectful silence as Dagur embraced his sister tightly before extracting the scroll Oswald had set aside for her.

“What’s going on?” Astrid asked quietly as she approached the group, her eyes locked on Heather’s heaving shoulders.

“We found Oswald.” Hiccup softly explained to Astrid, Snotlout, and the Twins. “Turns out he spent his final days protecting the sick dragons on Vanaheim.”

The others spent longer than necessary settling their dragons in the stables in an effort to give the siblings some space. After a while, Heather entered and approached Astrid, her eyes red and puffy. After a brief, hushed conversation, both women turned to face the others.

“I’m going to lead Heather to Vanaheim.” Astrid spoke up, her tone leaving no room for debate. Without waiting on a response, she turned to start saddling Stormfly.

“Be safe.” Dagur commented gently as he led Sleuther into an empty stall. “You remember how to find Dad’s hut? In the mouth of the huge skull, through the tunnel and-”

“I remember brother.” Heather cut him off with a sad smile. “We’ll be able to find him.” She drew Dagur in for a quick hug and gave Fishlegs an appreciative smile before following Astrid and Stormfly out onto the landing pad.

Tengan staggered slightly as she followed Dagur out into the open. Leaning against him for support, she struggled to focus on the retreating dragons as they slowly shrank into the light of the rising Sun. “She seems to be taking the news well.” She murmured.

Dagur slid an arm around her waist and gently pulled her flush against his side, his eyes locked on Windshear’s rapidly shrinking form. “The copy you made of Dad’s drawing helped a lot.” He gave her a gentle squeeze before sighing. “It’s too bad you don’t have the Dragon Eye. At least then we could have looked at the other lens.”

“Wait, back up.” Hiccup interjected as he emerged from the stable, a pair of matching dark bags visible under his eyes. “Other lens?”

“Well, yeah.” Dagur continued as he turned his head to peer over Tengan’s wild mop of hair. “Dad gave us both lenses when we were kids. I used mine to look at stuff. Or to start fires with the Sun!” He grinned at the memory.

“That sounds about right.” Tengan chuckled to herself as she let her eyes slowly shut, her weight sinking further into Dagur’s side.

“Do you still have it?” Hiccup asked, his tone light and almost hopeful.

“No.” Dagur admitted. “But, I know who does…” His voice dropped off before he shook his head and continued. “Why does it matter anyway? It’s not like you have another Dragon Eye laying around.” He chuckled, the laugh shaking his chest.

Tengan, slightly jostled, opened one eye. “Actually, we do have another Dragon Eye laying around. Hiccup’s been working on it the past few weeks. Calls it the Dragon Eye II.”

“Of course he does.” Dagur rolled his eyes with a playful sigh. “Does it work?”

“Not quite yet.” Hiccup admitted as he withdrew the mentioned gadget from his satchel. “I’m still missing the different colored gems used to filter the light going through it.”

“Well!” A lofty voice carried up from the winding staircase leading up to the landing pad. “Perhaps my humble, but vast trading skills might be of some minor assistance?” Johann hailed the group as he climbed the final few steps, his arms weighed down with a heavy crate.

“Johann?” Snotlout spoke up, clearly unamused by the trader’s intrusion. “What are you doing here?”

Depositing the crate on a nearby barrel, Johann straighted, pressing his palms into his lower back. “I come bearing a gift for Miss Heather. An apology for her ghastly experience at the Northern Market. You see I-” 

“Save it!” Snotlout cut across him sharply. “She’s not here. You just missed her.”

“But woah woah, back up to you explaining how you could help us find the gems we need for the Dragon Eye II.” Hiccup approached the merchant, his eyes wide with excitement.

Tengan felt her eyes drift shut as the lulling voices of those around her crafted a plan for obtaining the proper gems. Relying almost entirely on Dagur to remain upright, the conversation ceased to have any meaning as the words all blurred together into soothing mumbles and murmurs. It was only when Dagur shifted his weight, unintentionally sending her stumbling forward that her eyes snapped open. “What’s the plan?” She mumbled groggily.

Dagur’s arms shot out to catch her as she tripped on her own feet. “Woah there, baby. Brother, Boynut, Girlnut, and Johann are going to the Northern Markets to finish the Dragon Eye II. I’m going back to Berserker Isle with Fishlegs and Snotpocket to get my lens.”

“Alright, I’m going with you then.” She yawned widely and tried to stumble towards the stables, only to be stopped as Dagur swept her up into his arms.

“You,” he began sternly. “Are going to bed. You need rest.”

“I’ve had just as much sleep as you, Fishlegs and Hiccup!” She countered, her weary voice coming out more like a whine than the stern tone she had meant to project. 

“I’m siding with Dagur on this one.” Hiccup shrugged. “You said it yourself, Gothi thinks you’ve been overworked lately. Besides, we could use someone here to watch the base. Get some sleep.”

Tengan opened her mouth to retort but quickly closed it. Her normally sharp mind was much too sluggish to form any coherent argument. ‘Can’t risk letting the real reason slip right now.’ She thought dully and barely registered Dagur turning to walk down the walkway towards her hut.

“You must be more tired than I thought.” Dagur teased gently as he shifted her higher in his arms. “This is the first time I haven’t heard you argue about being left behind.”

“Yeah well…” She started to pout before sighing and letting herself relax in his arms. A dry laugh escaped her lips. “I thought we were done with the all-nighters.” She countered weakly as he nudged the door open to her hut with his boot.

Chuckling, he gently eased her onto the bed and pulled a heavy fur over her, taking the time to make sure she was completely covered up to her shoulders. “I’ll be back once we get the lens.” He murmured gently in her ear before placing a long, slow kiss to her lips.

Tengan hummed into the kiss, the dark lull of sleep beginning to overtake her. “Hey...” She whispered as he finally pulled away. “When you get back there’s something important we need to talk about…” She barely registered his far off murmur of agreement before she slipped into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

“Told you she was probably sleeping.” Astrid’s quiet whisper carried through the room as she poked her head in. “Tengan, you alive over there?” 

The curly haired Rider groaned as she rolled over and pulled the furs tighter over her head, refusing to open her eyes. Curling into a tight ball, she wriggled, trying to find the sweet spot that would allow her to fall back asleep.

“Yeah, she’s alive.” Heather answered warmly as she sat on the edge of the bed and began to slowly peel back the covers. “Come on Sleepyhead, we already fed Rumble for you but you really have to get up.”

“What? Why?” Tengan’s mumbled whine came from under her furs as she desperately clung to them. “I left him with plenty of fish. Why are you two back so soon anyway? What did you forget?”

Astrid plopped down on the bed next to Heather. “We left yesterday morning. Have you really been sleeping this entire time?” She glanced down at the stubborn lump hiding under the pile of furs.

“WHAT?!” Tengan gasped as she released her hold on the cover and quickly sat up, sending Heather tumbling backwards into Astrid with the sudden movement. “Oh, my head.” She groaned as the room suddenly swam from her quick action. Blinking rapidly, she squinted at her open front door. Warm, late morning sunshine was pouring in.

“Warn me next time!” Heather groaned as she freed herself from the relinquished blanket. “And yes, that was yesterday. We just got back.” Her tone dropped as her eyes slowly glazed over.

Tengan leaned forward to place a comforting hand on Heather’s shoulder as she shared a concerned look with Astrid. “I’m so sorry, Heather. Are you alright?”

The dark haired woman let out a croaking bark of laughter. “Yes? No? I don’t know really.” She shook her head vigorously, her eyes screwed shut. “I mean, I can’t remember all that much, so I don’t really have any right to miss him.”

Astrid stiffened at the comment. “No, that’s not true. He was your dad. No matter how long it had been since you two were together last he still loved you. It’s ok to miss him and to be sad about not having the chance to know him better.”

Tengan frowned as she silently rubbed along Heather’s back, determined to simply be there for her grieving friend. As the Berserker broke down into heavy sobs, she shifted back far enough to wrap her arms around her. She began to gently rock the crying woman, humming a soothing lullaby Makara had often cooed to her as a small child.

As her tears ran dry, Heather slowly extracted herself from Tengan’s arms and smiled weakly at both her friends. “Thanks… sorry for getting so emotional.”

Astrid scoffed playfully as she gently punched her friend’s arm. “Don’t think twice about it. Although, I think now would be a good time to get something to eat. We haven’t had anything since that fruit on the island and I know you haven’t eaten in at least a day, Tengan.” She smirked at the dark-skinned Rider.

Tengan opened her mouth to retort but was cut off by a loud, angry rumble from her stomach. “Alright, I may have slept through a couple meals.” She admitted as she swung her legs over the bed.

The trio quickly stoked the fire pit in the main hall and softened a lump of dried meat and a few native vegetables in a pot of melted snow for a makeshift stew. As the stew steamed and began to simmer, Tengan set her small tin of water and herbs by the fire to heat up.

“What’s that for?” Heather asked, her voice still slightly hoarse from crying. 

“It’s an herb mixture Gothi gave me to help with my exhaustion.” Tengan answered quietly, careful to avoid eye contact with either woman.

“Alright, out with it.” Astrid demanded from her seat across the fire pit. “You’ve never done well after a night mission, but this is ridiculous, even for you. I’ve never seen you sleep an entire day away. And now, it’s gotten so bad Gothi had to give you medicine for it! What’s really going on?” She crossed her arms, glaring sternly at the woman kneeling before the flames.

“She does have a point.” Heather pressed lightly. “Are you ok?”

After a long pause and a deep sigh, Tengan retreated to the table with her gently steaming mug of herbal tea. “I’m fine, really.” She insisted, her eyes glued to her cup as her stomach squirmed. “Just tired lately.”

“It’s just us girls here.” Heather pressed as she followed her friend back to the table, her brow knit with concern. “You know you can tell us anything right?”

“That’s just the problem.” Tengan retorted before she could think better of it. “I know I can tell you two but it’s better if I don’t. At least, not yet.”

Astrid leaned forward and crossed her arms. “Well, until you let us in on why you’ve been looking like Fishlegs after endurance training these past couple weeks, we’re not going anywhere.”

“I think what Astrid means is that we’re your friends and we want to help you.” Heather added. “Although, I am with her on keeping you here until you fill us in.” She smirked and leaned back to keep an eye on the stew.

Tengan stared into her mug, her heart and mind racing as she tracked the slowly swirling herbs as they swap lazy laps in her tea. Finally, her head dipped and she closed her eyes. “What I tell you does not leave this room, understand?” She spoke slowly and deliberately, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“Of course.” Astrid and Heather agreed in unison as they shared stares of confusion and concern.

Tengan groaned and took a long gulp of the foul tea before speaking. “When I went to Gothi, she gave me this specific blend of tea to help with my exhaustion and the muscle cramps I’ve been struggling with lately.” She paused and glared into her friend’s curious gazes. “You know if you two had been willing to wait one more day I would have explained it then.”

“Yeah, well we’re asking now.” Astrid dismissed the comment with a wave. “Go on, what else did she say?”

Tengan sighed again, fighting the excited half smile that seemed so desperate to take over her face. “She mentioned the exhaustion shouldn’t be something to worry about. It’s perfectly normal to feel tired and achy during the first few months while the…” She paused and took a deep, steadying breath. “While the baby is growing.”

Heather’s eyes widened as her brows all but disappeared into her bangs. Her mouth fell open and several unintelligible squeaks escaped, but couldn’t manage to form anything coherent.

“No!” Astrid hollered in disbelief as she leapt to her feet. “You’re with child?!” Her hands shot up to run through her hair as she stared down at her expecting friend. “Is it Dagur’s?”

“Of course it’s my brother’s!” Heather, freed from her stupor, snapped and swatted at Astrid’s thigh. “Tengan… this is… wow.”

“You two CAN’T tell anyone!” The dark-skinned Rider begged her friends as she looked frantically between them. “I haven’t been able to tell Dagur yet and I don’t want him to find out from anyone else! Please!”

Astrid slumped into the empty bench next to her panicky friend and smiled. “He won’t hear it from me.”

“Or me.” Heather added with a warm smile. “Gotta say knowing I’ll be an aunt soon is…”

“Weird.” Astrid finished. “I mean, are we really old enough to be having kids yet?” She glanced up at the celinging. “I mean, you are, of course but…”

“Hey!” Tengan snapped. “First of all, I am not THAT much older than you. And yes, that does mean YOU’RE old enough to be having children as well, Astrid. No matter how much you like to ignore it, we’re not kids anymore. I mean, it’s been years since I first landed on Berk… Eventually, we all knew we were going to start going off on our own and start families… right?” She stared down into her rapidly cooling mug for a silent moment before hastily gulping down another mouthful.

“I think,” Heather began pensively. “That it’s hard to admit we’re at the point where we have to start thinking about leaving our childhood behind. Even though, realistically, we’ve all been adults for a while now. I mean, children couldn’t wage war on Dragon Hunters and Fliers.”

“You mean win wars.” Astrid corrected with a wry smile. “And, you hit the target with the axe on that one, Heather.” She added with a groan. 

“Now I know what you two were doing that night you both disappeared during the Apprenticeship graduation party.” Heather said loftily as she stood and made her way over to the stew pot. 

“Excuse me?” Tengan glared at Heather’s retreating back, one eyebrow cocked. “Like you and Fishlegs haven’t snuck off every time you’ve come to ‘visit’.” Her head whipped around as she caught Astrid’s stifled chuckle. “Don’t act so innocent yourself. We ALL know what you and Hiccup are up to when the two of you disappear on your oh-so-secret missions. The only surprise here is that I’m the first one with child and you two know it.”

The three women glanced at each other for several moments, each struggling to maintain a stoic expression. No one remembered who cracked first, but the trio eventually broke down into waves of hysterical laughter, a full face blush spreading across the lighter skinned Rider’s faces.

“So,” Heather gasped as she struggled to subdue her remaining giggles. “When are you going to tell my brother he’s a father?” 

“Yeah!” Astrid chimed in as she helped Heather set three bowls of fresh stew on the table. “Is there a reason you haven’t let him know yet?”

Tengan opted to shovel down a few mouthfuls of scalding stew to satisfy her ravenous stomach before she straightened to answer, small tears of pain from the heat of her hasty meal stinging the corners of her eyes. “Well, I meant fill him in when you both got back. If everything had gone as planned I would have told him as we flew south to announce our betrothal to my mother. Fliers or no, it’s a journey I still need to take. But when he got my letters…” She broke off, unsure on how to delicately describe the situation.

“My brother can be a bit fanatic with his over-protectiveness.” Heather supplied with an understanding smile. “I was across the island when he read your notes and still heard the yelling. You should have seen how worked up he was.” She shook her head. “I tried to tell him you were clearly fine since we had your second note but he wouldn’t listen. I’ve never seen him run to the stables so quickly before.”

“Exactly.” Tengan nodded in agreement. “And that’s just me. I can’t imagine how overprotective he’ll get when he finds out there’s a baby involved.”

“He’ll probably probably ban you from flying.” Astrid gently teased as she nudged her friend.

“Maybe not at first.” Heather answered seriously. “But if I know my brother, he’s not going to want her flying into combat against Viggo and Krogan anymore.”

“Exactly.” Tengan grimaced as she imagined the inevitable confrontation. “And he was so worried about you lately,” she gestured towards Heather. “I didn’t want to pile this on top of everything else.”

“Well, what do you want to do?” Astrid asked as she started unblinkingly at the new mother. “Are you planning on sitting these fights out?”

“No.” Tengan responded immediately as she pressed her hands to her womb. “Right now, as long as I get enough sleep and take these herbs, I can still fight. I refuse to sit idly by while you all risk everything to defend our homes and our dragons. Besides, I don’t want to bring a child into this world just for them to live in fear of an attack. Rumble and I will continue to help until we drive Viggo and Krogan off once and for all.”

Heather smirked and nodded, her eyes fierce. “Exactly what I’d expect from my future sister. You’ll make an awesome Berserker.”

“Your brother often says the same.” Tengan smiled back as her shoulders relaxed. “Thanks girls, it’s nice being able to talk about this.”

A chorus of booming laughs carried into the airy hall as the soft thunder of wingbeats filled the air. 

“Looks like now’s your chance.” Astrid mused as she stood and looped an arm under Heather’s elbow. “Why don’t we go make sure they’re not interrupted?” With a playful wink she walked out into the open, arm raised in greeting.

Tengan stood, her heart racing as she thought about the approaching conversation. In an effort to keep her nervous energy at bay, she busied herself with cleaning out the stew bowls and setting them near the still half full pot on the off chance any of the other Riders were hungry.

“There you are!” Dagur’s cheerie voice echoed in the small hall as he all but jogged over to her, his arms winding around her waist from behind. “Heather mentioned you slept well. How are you feeling?”

Tengan smiled and leaned back against his chest, her heart fluttering as his earthy, spicy scent filled her lungs. “Better, now that you’re back.” Wriggling, she twisted in his grasp until they were face to face. “Did you find the lens?”

Dagur smirked and shoved one hand in his pocket to retrieve the glittering prize. “Of course!” Putting the lens away, he leaned down and captured her lips in a hungry kiss. “You mentioned wanting to talk when I got back.” He murmured as he finally pulled away. “That’s actually great because there’s something I wanted to talk about too.”

“Oh?” She asked in a slightly squeaky voice as she tugged him along to sit next to her on the bench. “Why don’t you go first.” She smiled, relieved to put off the reveal for a few more minutes.

“It’s actually about our Union Ceremony.” He began, drawing her hands into his. “I was hoping you’d be willing to move it up. After we found Dad…” He trailed off for a moment, crestfallen. As he caught a glimpse of the choker flashing in the firelight, his smile returned and he continued. “Well, all that’s left is for you to visit your homeland. With everything that’s been going on, it’s just not safe for you to fly on your own right now. What would you say if we went together? And then after we could plan the ceremony. If we have it on Berserker Isle, it could be as soon as a few months. That would leave your mother plenty of time to travel and-”

Tengan’s eyes widened as she registered his request. “Dagur, my love, that all sounds wonderful.” She cut across him as gently as she could. “But, I think we might have to have it a bit sooner than that. We’ll be much too busy in a few months.” She added quietly, trying to subdue the trembling in her legs.

Dagur froze mid-sentence, his head cocked to the side. “Busy with what? Berserker Isle is complete. I know you want to rebuild your library but that will be easier when you move-”

Steeling herself, she took a breath and cut him off with a gentle squeeze. “I actually haven’t told you everything I found out on Berk. The reason I’ve been so tired lately is because... I’m with child, Dagur. I’m carrying our baby.” She smiled sheepishly.

Dagur froze, his body stiffening as his mouth fell partially open. His eyes, wide as dragon eggs, rapidly flicked between hers, searching for any sign, any indication of a reaction. “What?” He finally whispered, the hint of a grin beginning to spread across his features.

“You’re going to be a father.” Tengan said softly, her own smile beginning to form as she gazed evenly back at him.

With a cheer so loud it spooked several nearby Night Terrors into flight, Dagur leapt off of the bench, punching his fists in the air. He jumped and bounced for several moments, laughing and shouting in absolute, unbridled joy. Catching sight of Tengan watching and smiling from her seat, he gathered her hands into his once more. “I can’t believe it! I’m going to be a Daddy!” He roared, devolving into a fit of laughter once more. “Oh my Thor, this is amazing!”

Tengan grinned up at her betrothed, the knot of anxiety finally relaxing. “I’m so happy you’re excited. I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out, but there never seemed to be a right time.” She stood and wrapped her arms around his chest, a relieved laugh escaping her.

Dagur pulled her flush against his chest, his grip tightening as their new reality set in. “Woah.” He gasped at the realization. “A baby. Our baby.” He whispered, more to himself than to the woman caged in his arms.

“That’s pretty much how I felt when I first found out.” Tengan mumbled into his chest as she leaned into the embrace. “Now, I’m just excited to meet them.”

Dagur pulled away suddenly, holding her at arm's length. “We have to tell Heather! And brother Hiccup!” He beamed, his face all but bursting with barely contained excitement.

Tengan smiled and nodded, deciding he didn’t need to know Heather was already in the loop just yet. “I agree. It will be hard to hide it when my belly starts to grow. Why don’t we tell them when Hiccup and the Twins get back? Until then…” She gently pulled him back onto the bench with her. “Tell me how you got your lens back? You mentioned before you left that someone else had it. Who was it?”

Dagur flinched slightly at the question. Giving her a sheepish smile, he began to recount his recent journey. 

Tengan sat quietly for a while as Dagur recounted his tale of dealing with his old childhood bully. Several times during the story he would pause and place his hand on her still flat belly as if the baby would have grown large enough to feel in the few minutes he had looked away. Just as he began to explain how Ansen used the lens against the rampaging Scauldron, Hiccup jogged into the hall flanked by Heather, Toothless, and the rest of the Riders.

“I don’t care if they’re discussing something important, this has to come first!” The one legged viking explained wearily to Astrid. “Dagur, Tengan, glad you’re here.”

“Brother!” Dagur leapt to his feet, his arms open in welcome. “There’s something we need to tell you!”

Hiccup held up his hand to forestall the Berserker, his face lined with worry. “After. Right now, there’s something I need to talk to all of you about.” Glancing back at the others, he motioned for those still standing to take a seat around the room.

Tengan cocked her head to the side and shared a confused look with Dagur as he sat back down. “Was there trouble getting the gems at the Northern Market?”

“You could say that.” Hiccup answered with a heavy sigh as he began to pace. “It turns out Johann has been working with the Hunters all this time. Ever since he first sent us into Breakneck Bog.”

The already tense atmosphere in the room chilled as Hiccup’s words sunk in. Only Ruff and Tuff seemed unaffected as they grinned triumphantly, their arms crossed against their chests.

“Yeah, and the only reason you all know about it is because we tipped Hiccup off!” Tuffnut proclaimed proudly.

“It's true!” Ruffnut added. “We figured out someone had to have told the Hunters where we’d be when they all HAPPENED to be wandering around the market at the same time.”

“Please tell me this is all some kind of awful, late Loki Day prank.” Astrid groaned as she stared up at Hiccup.

“That’s not even the worst of it.” Hiccup plowed on. “It turns out Johann has been using Krogan and Viggo to collect lenses to find what they call the ‘King of Dragons’.” He turned to Dagur, his expression pleading. “Please tell me you have your lens.”

Dagur, his gleeful expression having given way to a serious stare, quickly fished through his pocket and retrieved the lens. “Right here, brother. How will it help us find this ‘King of Dragons’?” He asked with mild skepticism as he leaned back to loop an arm around Tengan’s waist.

“Hopefully,” Hiccup began as he inserted the lens into the Dragon Eye II. “I’ll be able to answer that in just a moment. “Hit it bud.” Holding the tool low, he placed it just in front of Toothless’ gently glowing mouth.

Fishlegs stood and approached the image projected on the wall, his face pensive. “Five different symbols, each a dragon class.”

“And we have lenses for three of them.” Hiccup responded as he held two more in front of the Dragon Eye II’s glow. His eyes widened with shock as the images overlapped and began to form broken images of what looked to be the beginning of a map.

“First one who finds all five lenses reveals the King of Dragons.” Astrid gasped, her own eyes wide with shock.

“Should we still tell them?” Dagur whispered into Tengan’s ear as he tugged her closer.

“I believe we should. If this is truly going to turn into a race, there may not be time later.” She tore her gaze away from the eerie purple glow of the incomplete map to smile up at Dagur. “Do you want to, or should I?”

With a smile and a quick kiss on her forehead, Dagur stood and gently helped Tengan to her feet. “Well, brother that is quite the story, and I’m glad you went first! But now, there is another matter we need to attend to.”

Hiccup tore his gaze away from the map with a somewhat irritated expression. ‘What? Oh, yeah, you did mention you wanted to say something.” He admitted reluctantly as he stowed the Dragon Eye II and their three lenses in his satchel.

“Well it seems with all this talk of traitors and resurrected Dragon Hunters we could all use some good news.” He broke down in a giggle fit for several seconds before clearing his throat. “Tengan and I have decided to move up our Union Ceremony and we want you all there!”

The room exploded with surprised cries and cheerful ‘congratulations’ for several moments. Even Hiccup's sour expression gave way to a warm smile as he shared a glance with Astrid. “That’s.. That’s great. I’m happy for you guys. We all could use something to celebrate. Is there any specific reason why you’ve moved it up? I thought things were kind of on hold until after the Fliers were dealt with.” He flinched as Astrid’s elbow sank in between a pair of ribs.

Dagur giggled again, his face split in a massive grin. “Go on, baby! You tell them the rest!” He beamed down at her, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Tengan smiled sheepishly at her friends, well aware of the horrible job Astrid and Heather were doing containing their grins. “Well, we figured it would be a good idea to have the ceremony now before we’re too busy with the baby.” She spoke slowly, her eyes tracking back to Dagur as she finished the statement.

“THE WHAT!?” Hiccup and Fishlegs cried out in unison, their mouths crashing open as Heather and Astrid cheered their congratulations to the couple.

“Ha! Pay up!” Snotlout turned on the twins, his hand outstretched. “A baby! That’s why she’s been so tired. I called it! You two muttonheads owe me!”

“What? No way!” Ruffnut snapped back. “That wasn’t the bet!”

“Besides,” Tuffnut added. “Didn’t you swear the reason she was so tired was because she had secretly fallen in love with Viggo and was sneaking around to go see him at night behind Dagur’s back?!”

“Shut up, Tuffnut.” Snotlout hollered with a quick, nervous look over at the couple.

“Wait, what did you think I was doing?” Tengan asked indignantly as she and her partner shared matching glares at the shorter viking. 

Luckily for Snotlout, he was saved from a proper thrashing when Heather flung her arms around Dagur and Tengan, pulling them into a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you both!” She grinned at the two of them. “So what’s next? How soon are we talking for the ceremony?”

Tengan smiled at her. “I’m not sure actually. I still have to visit the Shimmering Shores and-”

“Well, if you two can wait a little longer...” Hiccup pied up, still rubbing his sore ribs. “I was hoping to organize a summit for the island leaders we know are against the Dragon Hunters. They should all be warned about Johann and we can discuss how to proceed. First thing tomorrow, I was hoping we could fly out to Berk to let my dad know before extending invites to Mala and Atali.”

“Sounds like a plan, brother.” Dagur smiled and nodded. “Send us a Terror mail once you have a date for the summit. Right now we need to make sure Berserker Island is prepared.” He turned his gaze to Tengan, his expression softening. “You should start packing. It’s still early. If we leave soon, we can make it home by nightfall.”

“Wait, what?” Tengan wriggled out of her lover’s grip. “Dagur, I have to stay for now. They’ll need whatever maps and journals I can recreate between now and the summit. Not to mention I haven’t even begun tracing over the partial map to the King of Dragons. I won’t abandon my friends.” She pleaded.

Dagur frowned. “Tengan, I already can’t bear leaving you behind, especially after the Flier fiasco.” He gently took her hand, ignoring the prying stares of the other Riders. “And now that it’s not just you, but our child too. I never want to be so far away I can’t protect you both.”

Tengan sighed, her brow furrowing. “Dagur, you have to know I could never just sit this one out. Not while you and all our friends are fighting so hard to protect our dragons. Rumble and I will continue to fight as long as we can.”

Dagur smiled and nodded. “And I would never ask you to stop fighting. It’s what makes you an awesome Berserker. I’m just asking that you let me help you now. And I can’t do that when you’re so far away. Please?” He flashed her a pleading, impressively innocent grin.

“I could help Hiccup redraw a few of your maps.” Fishlegs tentatively spoke up. “At least the ones for berk and the Edge. That would leave you more time to work on the others at Berserker Island.”

“Ultimately, it’s up to you, Tengan. “ Hiccup offered. “You and your baby would be safe here but-”

“Oh?” Dagur turned to face Hiccup. “And what exactly are your plans if the Fliers were to attack tonight, brother? You’ve always been great at those Hiccupy strategies but, and I say this out of love and respect for you brother, you’ve lost a few too many against Viggo, Krogan, and Johann.” He took a deep breath, clearly uneasy. “This is something I can’t gamble on. While the Edge is populated with nothing but Dragon Riders, Berserker Isle is full of armed warriors and is likely to be less of a target. She’s safer with me.”

The group stilled as the Riders looked back and forth between Hiccup and Dagur. Even Snotlout seemed at a loss for words. Tengan watched the turmoil rumbling beneath Dagur’s pained expression for several moments before finally laying her hand on his shoulder, breaking the tension. “I’ll leave for Berserker Isle with you. Only because now if probably the best time to move the few books and scrolls I still have.” She turned to smile at the others, the expression bittersweet. “Fishlegs, if you could redo those maps, I’d really appreciate it. I’ll work on the others until the summit.” She shifted her gaze to Hiccup, who still looked as if someone had yanked his dragon out from under him. “I’ll also put together a series of events Johann could have been involved in so we know where else he may have laid a trap for us.”

“Thank you.” Hiccup relaxed and nodded. “I can’t believe you’re leaving us already.” He added weakly, an uneasy smile on his lips.

“Don’t let the twins move into my hut.” She smirked as she leaned against Dagur’s side. “I’m not done here yet.” She turned her gaze up to her fiery-haired Berserker. “After the summit, we’ll need to fly down to the Shimmering Shores. We won’t have enough time to send for my mother to be a part of the gathering, and I don’t want to chance a letter being intercepted. Besides, she needs to know she’ll be a grandmother soon.”

Dagur smiled and slid an arm around her waist once more. “You got it, baby.”

Tengan nodded and continued to stare unblinkingly up at him. “After that we’ll need to decide when to hold the ceremony and where we’ll be after that. We might have to schedule our time between Berserker Isle and the Edge.”

Astrid smirked. “Good. Things would get boring around here without you. Who else keeps a written record of every stupid thing Snotlout says?”

“Wait, you do that?” Snoutlout perked up as he glanced between the two smirking women. “No. you’re just messing with me.” He grinned nervously. “Right?”

“I was working on volume three before my hut caught fire. I suppose I can make some time to rewrite them, your rambles are pretty memorable.” She teased, still grinning.

“Come on, Tengan.” Heather added as she tugged the young woman out of her brother’s arms. “I’ll help you pack. Windshear and I should be able to hold a few bags.”

“You can’t just keep stealing her from me!” Dagur complained as he followed them out of the hall.

Fishlegs was practically bouncing on his feet as he trailed after the small processional. “Wait, I’ll come help too! Ohhh! A baby! Wait until I tell Meatlug! She loves little, squishy babies!”

The twins, who had been silently absorbing all the chaos, stalked out afterwards. “Woah, do you know what this means?” Tuffnut asked his twin.

“Oh, totally.” Ruffnut responded with a wicked grin. “We finally have a protege to take on our trickster mantle!” With a high five, she followed her twin outside at a light jog.

“Oh no way!” Snotlout roared as he ran out after them. “Dagur and Tengan are going to want me to train the little warrior!”

Astrid gazed out the open door for a long, silent moment. “A baby on the way… no wonder they want to move the ceremony up.” She glanced sideways at Hiccup. “What are you thinking?”

Hiccup sighed as he scratched Toothless absentmindedly under the chin. “I’m thinking they were right about us needing something to celebrate. Between Johann, Viggo, Krogan, and this King of Dragons, things are about to get pretty ugly.”


	26. Green Looks Better on Dragons

A/N: First things first, Baisley has gifted me with some AMAZING fanart featuring our beloved Tengan (and a bonus Rumble)! I've been staring at it all week and just had to share it with you all. THIS is the Tengan I imagine when I'm writing. Please go check out their Dagcup fics over at https://archiveofourown.org/users/baisley They are adorable and perfect in every way! "A Day with Dad" is my favorite!

Tengan stretched and yawned as she shifted under the warm pile of furs covering her. Without opening her eyes, she let her fingers trail along the overstuffed mattress, slowly reaching out towards the other side of the bed. "Dagur?" She mumbled sleepily as her searching hand found only a cold divot where her betrothed should have been. Her sleepy question was immediately met with a muffled response and several dull thuds as heavy, hurried footsteps approached.

"Right here, baby." Dagur's gentle voice carried across the room as he shouldered open the door, his hands full of a steaming mug of tea and half a loaf of bread. Setting the items down on their bedside table, he settled onto the bed next to his barely conscious lover.

Tengan slowly forced herself into a half-sitting position, her eyes barely cracked open. "Why are you up so early?" She asked through a poorly stifled yawn as she shifted closer. Deciding consciousness was currently not worth the effort, she stretched out on the large bed once more and rested her head comfortably in Dagur's lap.

The Berserker chief smiled warmly down at her as he ran his fingers along her back and side, the digits leaving a trail of goosebumps behind on the exposed skin. "It's a couple hours after sunrise actually."

Tengan, who had been humming in content at the light dance of his fingers along her spine, shot upright as his words sank in. "What?! Oh no, I overslept!" She gasped, her vision temporarily swimming and going dim as the blood rushed from her head. "Why didn't you wake me?"

Dagur's arms shot out to stabilize the swaying rider. "You needed the rest." Plucking the steaming mug from the table, he held it out before her. "Drink." He commanded, his stern expression leaving no room for argument.

With a minor groan of trepidation, she took the offered mug and began draining it with long, slow sips in an effort to avoid scalding her tongue. Despite having lost a few precious hours on their last day of preparation before the summit, Tengan found herself unable to be frustrated with her beloved. Dagur had been nothing short of supportive, if only somewhat overbearing, since they landed a little over a week ago. That same evening, he had sent out a request for any and all available paper and writing utensils to be brought to their home while she unpacked her few surviving works. While the mostly empty shelves had brought on a painful pang at first, the avalanche of fresh scrolls and books delivered the following morning had been a spark of inspiration.

She had spent nearly all of the daylight hours huddled over her desk in their small library, quills scratching ceaselessly on roll after roll of parchment. Every small detail she could remember of each of the islands they visited, the people who shared in their passion for protecting dragons, the seemingly innocent interactions they had shared with Johann were all rerecorded. The personal journals Dagur had managed to track down and keep safe had been a blessing, as they often had small notes or observations that triggered a sunken memory. Late at night, well after her hand had begun to cramp from clutching her writing instruments and when Dagur dragged himself inside after an exhausting day of preparing the Berserkers for their new threat, the pair would cuddle near the fire and flip through her old journals. After some intense prodding and pleading on Dagur's part, Tengan eventually relented and let him read her passages on their first few encounters. He had lovingly taunted and teased her about describing him as "annoyingly handsome" for nearly three days.

The only other time they could find to spend together as a courting couple had been the daily midafternoon flights they took over the island, although even then they were both hard at work. Dagur insisted the patrols allowed him to show his people he was ever vigilant for any potential threats and having Tengan and Rumble join him, Sleuther, and occasionally Shattermaster, would bolster their confidence in his leadership. Tengan loved the opportunity their flights provided to flesh out and detail the map she had craftred of her new home, down to the several entrances to the mysterious web of tunnels that honeycombed the island. Even now, her half finished map and incomplete recollection of Viggo's past attacks on the Edge called to her. Sneering down triumphantly into the empty mug of herbal tea, she set it down on their bedside table. "Thank you, love."

Dagur, sensing she was about to try to stand, quickly snatched up the small, fresh hunk of bread and held it under her nose. "Not so fast. Heather was up early working on this honey-nut bread." He smiled as she took the offering without complaint. As she began to slowly munch on the warm bread, he allowed himself to lay back on the bed and stretch. "She also wanted me to let you know she'll be the one taking you on the patrol flight this afternoon."

"Why?" Tengan asked in between mouthfuls, her head partially cocked to the side. "Not that I don't enjoy spending time with my soon-to-be sister, but is everything alright?" Her brow furrowed in mild concern as she gazed down at her clearly exhausted Berserker chief.

Dagur, sensing the worry in her tone, quickly bolted back upright and placed a hand on her thigh, his cold, rough palm absorbing the waves of heat radiating off her soft skin. "Everything's fine. The last ship in for repairs needs it's mast replaced. I'm going to take Shattermaster and Sleuther down to the docks to help hoist it into place."

Nodding, Tengan swallowed the last large mouthful of the sweet bread, smiling at the wonderful flavor of it. "I'm glad Shattermaster's up to working again." She placed her now empty hand over his. "You know, I remember the route. Rumble and I could do the flyover on our own. That would leave Heather free this afternoon to work with the guard." She suggested delicately. The fierce Berserker woman had demanded to take charge of the armada the day after they landed. Her reason was sound; the men would most likely have to face off against the fleet of Singetails either on land or from their boats. What better way to prepare them than to practice sparring against Heather and Windshear?

"No way." Dagur countered immediately, his glare fierce. He slowly slid his hand up from her thigh to rest on the small swelling that had begun to form over the past few days. As he gently pressed into it, his smile returned. "No way Daddy is letting anything happen to you or Mommy." He cooed at the tiny bump.

Tengan sighed and leaned back slightly as he rubbed soothing circles over her stomach. While she had hoped her early relocation to Berserker Isle would soothe some of Dagur's nerves, the arrival of the tiny bump seemed to throw him into mother hen mode. Every time they flew on patrol, he'd be sure to fly a little behind and below Rumble, as if the gentlest breeze would throw her from the Skrill's back. Each evening as he returned from whatever was needed from him as chief, he'd relax and unwind with his arms draped around her, hands resting protectively over that small swell in her stomach. "Well, at least we'll have some time to catch up." She admitted in defeat, smiling down at him.

Dagur grinned triumphantly back at her as he straightened. "Are you going to be alright walking all the way to the stables on your own? I could always have Kralins walk you. He's scheduled to be on watch but.." He trailed off, clearly lost in thought as he mentally swapped around a few people's assignments.

Sensing the impending discourse, she interrupted his stream of thoughts with a slow, delicate kiss, her fingers coming up to slide through his beard. "Dagur, I'm carrying a child, not a fainting sickness. I'll make it to the stables on my own just fine." She finished firmly, her forehead pressed against his as she stared into his seemingly endless emerald eyes. "Although, I will miss you today." She added quietly.

A smirk stretched his features. "I do have a little time before the morning council." He growled as he slowly tipped her back onto the bed. Almost every evening this week, and some mornings, the pair had lost themselves in each other's arms. Each coupling always began with his hands caressing the small swell of her belly. It seemed, if anything, the physical evidence of their growing child fanned his fervent flames of desire, not that anyone would ever catch Tengan complaining.

As Dagur eventually pulled his garments back on and reluctantly left her behind in their home, Tengan pulled her own clothes over pleasantly sore limbs and stumbled her way into the small library down the hall. The remaining morning hours ticked away as she fleshed out her maps and added any stray thought she thought would be helpful in tomorrow's meet. "Comeon now." She scolded herself. "Think. That can't be all you remember." She glared at the written history she recounted between Johann and the Riders, scowling at empty half foot of scroll poking out under her notes. "Maybe Heather remembers something I haven't." She suggested to her small bump. "As little we've seen of your father, by this rate you'd never know you have an aunt." Smiling to herself, she stood and stretched before slinging her satchel over her shoulder and heading out into the bright sunshine.

"Look who's finally out of her cave!" Heather cheered in greeting as she watched Tenagn climb the crest of the steep, hilly path from the village.

"Ha. Ha." Tengan wheezed out in between heavy breaths. Pausing to place her hands on her thighs, she glared up at the waiting young woman. "Oh don't give me that look." She straightened up, her glare melting into a smirk as she embraced her raven-haired friend. "Good to see you. How are the men coming along?"

"Well enough. No one's been able to beat Windshear yet, but they should be more than a match for those Fliers." Heather responded with a cocky smirk before she glanced down at Tengan's midsection. "I thought you felt a little bigger!" She smiled down at the minor bump.

"Yeah, the little one has started taking over." She admitted with a tired smile. "Your brother's been talking to my belly non-stop the past few days." With a good-natured sigh, she shook her head. "Let me go saddle up Rumble and we'll be ready to go."

"No need. Already taken care of." With a sharp whistle, Heather smiled as Windshear and Rumble came charging out of the open stable door and over to their riders.

"You know I'm still perfectly capable of saddling him myself." Tengan commented with a twinge of annoyance as she hoisted herself into the saddle, smiling as Rumble hummed in excitement.

"Oh I know." Heather responded evenly. "I was here first and figured it would give us more time to catch up in the air." Coaxing Windshear to take off, she hollered down at the still grounded pair. "Did you honestly think I'd ever take it easy on you? I'm not my brother, ya know!"

"For that, I'm thankful." Tengan called back as she and Rumble climbed to meet the pair. "I love that man to death but he's been a handful. It took me an hour the other day to convince him to let me help scout out willow bark to send to Berk. With child or not, Gothi would have knocked me into next winter if she found out I let subpar willow bark make it into her hands." She grinned devilishly at her partner. "Actually, Rumble and I have been a little out of practice lately when it comes to air defense. Mind running a few drills in on our way to the outer edge?"

Several hours later filled with dives, corkscrews, barrel-rolls, and other maneuvers that would have given Dagur a heart attack, Tengan slowly made her way back downhill, her now almost complete map of Berserker Isle and note sheet of recollections Heather had dictated cradled in one arm. The other held her old satchel, making an effort to pinch closed the large hole Windhsear had accidentally torn in it as the dragons closely spiraled around each other in their final dive towards the island. "Think we can fix this before your father gets home?" She whispered to her belly as their hut came into view, beautifully backlit by the orange glow of the setting Sun.

The following morning saw Dagur and Tengan touching down on Caldera Cay just before midday. Sliding out of Rumble's saddle, Tengan lifted her arms over her head in a stretch, her groan devolving into giggles as the Skrill lipped at her side. "Ah Rumble stop!" She scolded through her laughter as she gently pushed the Skrill aside.

"Hey look who finally made it!" Ruffnut hollered over to the pair as she and Tuffnut approached, Barf and Belch practically dancing behind them.

Sensing the energy radiating off the trio of dragons, Tengan just managed to cover her ears in time as Rumble and Sleuther trumpeted their greetings. The hulking dragons thundered over to one another and quickly began nudging, nipping and wrestling. "Ruff! Tuff!" Tengan greeted the twins with a broad smile once the dragons were a good distance away. It felt as if she hadn't seen them in months rather than days.

"Boynut, Girlnut." Dagur greeted with a smile and nod as he shouldered Tengan's newly repaired satchel filled to the seams with her notes for the meeting. "Where's brother Hiccup?" He peered past them, eyes scanning the nearby town.

"He's off with Snotlout collecting that leader chick from Wingmaiden island." Tuffnut dismissed with a wave before grinning at the couple. "It's a good thing you two landed when you did. We are dying of boredom. I mean, it's a real funeral over there. Now I was thinking-"

"That we should introduce Dagur to Queen Mala and bring them up to speed? Good thinking Tuff." Astrid cut across him with a stern glare as she approached. "Hey stranger." She smiled and pulled Tengan into a loose hug. "Woah, look at that!" She gasped in mild surprise as she bumped against the expectant rider's slightly swollen belly.

Tengan grinned back at her friend, amazed at how much she had missed them in the short time they had been apart. "I know, it took me by surprise too."

Dagur sidled up to the girls, placing the palm of his free hand on the small of Tengan's back. "Let's head to this meeting place. You shouldn't be on your feet after that long flight."

"Of course." Astrid quickly responded with a knowing smile and a playful wink at the clearly exasperated Tengan. "Follow me." She turned on her heel and began to lead them back into town. "And you two, just stay out of trouble today, alright?" She addressed the twins with a threatening glare before continuing her march.

"Fine." Ruffnut agreed for the twins as they fell into line behind the small group. "Killjoy." She added, her murmur just loud enough for the others to hear.

The designated meeting place for the summit was a small outdoor clearing just beyond the Great Protector's lava pit. A long, sturdy wooden table had been set in the center of the clearing with several mismatched chairs clustered around it. Fishlegs and Mala sat across from one another, pouring over a pile of notes. At the sound of approaching footsteps, the Gronckle trainer lifted his head and grinned, waving enthusiastically to the couple. "Tengan! Dagur! Glad you made it! Come take a look!" He pointed eagerly at the paper before him.

As the others made their way over to the mostly empty table, pleasantries and greetings were exchanged among the group. Mala gave her condolences for the loss of Tengan's work, Fishlegs commented on the new maps and notes, Astrid filled the Berserkers in on their struggles with replacing any goods Johann could have tampered with, and the twins complained about the lack of entertainment at least once every five minutes. After an hour or so the conversations ran dry and the group fell into a dull, bored silence.

"So, when is brother supposed to arrive?" Dagur eventually asked in hardly restrained annoyance as he idly toyed with a few errant curls on Tengan's head.

"Soon." Astrid promised as she glanced at the Sun, now nearing its apex. "As soon as he and Snotlout arrive with Atali we've got to figure out a strategy to deal with the Fliers and, now, Johann." She slammed her closed fist on the table, a deep scowl spreading across her features. "I had meant to wait for all of us to be here." She paused as she registered the unrestrained boredom and ill concealed frustration on the island leaders' faces. "But, I suppose we could get started on discussing where to keep the Dragon Eye lenses." Reaching under her chair, she produced a small satchel and placed it in the direct center of the table.

"Might I suggest we place them inside our volcano?" Mala chimed in, her face brightening with interest at the opportunity to be productive. "It's far from the easiest location to access." She added with a small, confident smile.

Dagur began to laugh as he extracted his fingers from Tengan's curls. "Inside an ACTIVE volcano?" He asked incredulously, turning to stare down the island's queen. "That's what you're proposing? Well, what happens when, you know, it ERUPTS?" He gestured wildly towards the aforementioned hiding spot.

Mala scowled. "If it erupts," She emphasized. "We have the Eruptodon to manage it's lava flow." She folded her hands together and rested them on the table, her face set.

"If, when, same thing really." Dagur dismissed with a frown. "And you're so sure your 'Great Protector' can handle a full-scaled eruption!?" His voice rose in volume and pitch as he leaned across the table to snarl at the queen. When she hesitated, he plowed on. "Of course you're not!" Standing suddenly, he slammed his palms down on the table. "Berserker Island is the obvious choice! Our Berserker Guard-"

"Allowed a coup to take place right under their noses." Mala shot back coldly from her seat, her face impassive. "I do have that correct, right?"

Dagur's face flushed with rage as a desperate cackle began to escape the back of his throat. "This one thinks she's got it all figured out but really she's got nothing figured out!" His eyes flashed dangerously as he pointed threateningly towards the queen.

Tengan stared between Dagur, Mala, and the other Riders, momentarily lost for words at the sudden breakdown in communication. She placed her hand on Dagur's forearm, pausing only to throw the twins a tired glare as they began to munch on their exploded corn snack Tuff had dubbed the 'Clouds of Corn'. "Dagur, please, stay calm."

"I AM CALM!" He roared to the cloudless sky before clearing his throat hurriedly. "See? Calm!" He flashed Tengan what seemed to be a solid attempt at a reassuring smile although the effect was more of a strained grimace. "I mean, I'm not crazy, it's her right?" He jabbed a thumb towards Mala, his eyes still forcefully locked on Tengan.

"I've got this!" Fishlegs chimed in in a falsely cherrie voice as he quickly pushed his chair back and stood. Trotting over to a clear patch of earth he beckoned Meatlug over. "Drop-spin please." He requested, smiling as the Gronckle traced a large circle in the dirt with her bludgeon of a tail. "This is called common ground." He gestured towards the seated group with a confident smile. "Won't you two join me?"

Tengan smiled up at Dagur and placed a quick, chaste kiss to his cheek as the others turned to look at Fishlegs' dirt ring. "Go on, give it a try." She leaned in closer under the guise of adjusting his breastplate. "Mala was kind enough to let us stay when the Singetails attacked our home. She can be a bit prickly when it comes to their Eruptodon but I believe she means well. Take it easy on her? For me?" She whispered quickly into his ear before pulling back and nodding.

Dagur responded with an expression akin to a viking just told he would have to shovel dragon dung for a month before slowly scraping his chair backward, a heavy sigh escaping.

As the two leaders made their way to the circle, Tengan leaned in towards Astrid. "Where are Hiccup and Atali?" She whispered quickly. "Dagur has been on edge the last few days with all the island preparations and his patience isn't all that great at the moment. Hiccup he'd concede this argument to, but Mala?" She bit her lower lip and shook her head slightly.

"Why does he want the lenses on Berserker Isle anyway?" Astrid whispered back as she glanced over at the now quietly bickering rulers. "I agree that the volcano here may not be the best location, but I don't know why he'd want to make Berserker Island a target with, well…" She trailed off, her eyes flicking to Tengan's stomach.

"I'm not sure myself." Tengan added with a curt shake of her head, her curls bouncing wildly with the movement. "I'll ask him after they've finished with Fishlegs' exercise." Turning her chair so she could comfortably keep an eye on the glowering pair of leaders, she settled down to wait.

"Wow." Ruffnut commented a few hours later as she watched the still quarreling chiefs. "Even Tuff and I can't maintain an argument for this long." She reached into her now empty bag of corn clouds, scowling as her hands closed on air. "Hiccup better get here soon, I'm all out of snacks!"

Tengan frowned and spared a quick glance for her friends. "I hope he's alright and the delay isn't anything serious. Although, I fear if he doesn't make it soon there won't be an alliance for Atali to join." Her gaze snapped back to Dagur, who's frustration had apparently boiled over with a dull roar.

"Until he gets here we need to think of something else." Astrid added in a desperate whisper. "The Sun's already setting and all we've accomplished is a new record for longest continuous argument."

"Shame really, I was enjoying holding the title." Tuffnut sighed as he stood and stretched. "Ready to handle this, Ruff?"

"Oh I was born ready." She grinned in response and leapt to her feet. "You two just sit and watch. When Hiccup's away, the twins will play!" Cackling, she approached the yelling chiefs.

"What in Thor's name are those two mutton heads up to?" Astrid hissed as she scrambled to her feet after them.

"I have no idea. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get those two to break it up." Tengan countered as she followed along, stopping only long enough to gather up the unused piles of notes and maps that had spent the better part of the day baking under the sun.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Tengan!" Ruff turned brief to grin back at her. "It just so happens my brother and I are the two best vikings for this job."

"Yup!" Tufnut added with a nod. "Ruff and I have mediated every Thorston argument back to before we could talk! Step aside Fishlegs." He gripped the exhausted Rider under the elbow and pulled him away from Dagur and Mala, allowing the two to advance on one another as they continued to hurl increasingly mean insults. "We'll have this settled before you can say-"

"Tightrope!" Ruffnut interjected with a manic smile. "We need a tightrope! Keep them busy for a few minutes while I go find one!" Snapping her fingers at the realization, she bolted off in the direction of the town square.

Tengan blinked twice in as a sense of confusion and reluctant acceptance washed over her. "Astrid, you take Mala. I've got Dagur." She gave the blonde Rider a reassuring smile before approaching her bellowing Berserker. Coming to his side, she slowly reached up to gently lay her hand on his upper arm as Astrid mimicked the motion with Mala. "Dagur? I could use your help for a moment. I think I left my herbs in Sleuther's saddle bag."

With a final snarl, Dagur forced his glare away from the irate queen; his eyes softening considerably as he caught Tengan's gaze. "Anything to get me away from that.. Ugh!" He groaned in frustration as the pair broke off. "How many times do I have to tell her; HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY!" He roared back over his shoulder as he allowed Tengan to lead him away from the clearing.

Tengan chewed her bottom lip, taking a moment to consider how to best word her question. "My love," She began as she gently squeezed his hand. "I agree with you that hoping the Eruptodon will always be able to contain the lava flow is a foolish plan."

"Thank you!" Dagur practically yelled in relief. "Finally, someone who is talking sense. I refuse to deal with Queenie over there until Hiccup arrives. She's crazy! Berserker Island is the safest place for those lenses and we all know it!"

"They certainly would be well protected at home with us." She agreed, her heart fluttering at the sight of the smile that graced his features every time she referred to Berserker Isle as her home. "But, I'm surprised you would even want the lenses there. Wouldn't that make our island more of a target? What if the Fliers find out where we're keeping them?" Her brow furrowed as she ploughed on. "Not that I don't think we can fight them off. Between you, me, and Heather there are few who could match us. I guess I just assumed-"

"That I would want to keep you as far away from the fighting as possible." He finished for her, his tone finally beginning to level out as he glanced down at her, his free hand coming up to gently cup her growing bump. "Tengan, if I thought you would listen to me, I'd send you to stay in a cell on Outcast Island surrounded by an army of Whispering Deaths until this was all over."

She scoffed at the suggestion, her eyes flashing with indignation. "You're lucky I don't send Rumble after you for even suggesting something so ridiculous!" She snapped back a bit stronger than intended, her mental fatigue and frustration at the lackluster summit beginning to break through.

Dagur chuckled at her response. "And that's exactly why our child is going to be the strongest viking the archipelago has ever seen!" He pulled her to his chest and pressed a couple quick kisses to her lips. "Ending this war quickly is my only option to keep you both safe. And the fastest way to end it is…" He let his sentence hang unfinished.

"If Hiccup is the first person to find and possibly train this King of Dragons." Tengan finished, comprehension dawning on her features. "The risk of the Fliers attacking us is preferable to the years-long war we'd face if Johann captured the King first."

"Exactly." Dagur nodded as he stared past the woman wrapped protectively in his arms and over to the small cluster of dragons wriggling in the sand warmed by the dying rays of the Sun. With a short, distinct whistle, he called the Triple Stryke away from his companions. "Is it really time for your evening dose already?" He asked more to himself than to Tengan or Sleuther as he retrieved the small pouch of medicine. "Wow, time sure flies when you're trying to beat the same, simple message into a stubborn Queen." He scowled as he handed the pouch over.

"You've been doing quite well." Tengan smiled up at him as she took the small leather bag. "I'm surprised you haven't thrown your axe or broken anything yet." She half-teased as she gave Sleuther an appreciative pat before sending him back to the cluster of basking dragons.

"I promised Heather I'd keep my temper under control today." He admitted with a low grumble. "But if she insists on being this stubborn past midnight…" The threat hung unfinished in the air.

"Well, the twins think they know a way to help speed this process along." She responded as they began the slow walk back. "Ruffnut mentioned something about a tightrope. I can't imagine this is going to be very diplomatic. Their plans usually involve weapons or, considering which island we're on, more likely lava. Just don't put yourself or Mala out of commission."

"We'll see." Dagur grumbled in annoyance as the clearing came into view once more. A manic grin broke out on his face as he spied Mala perched on one end of a long rope suspended between two trees on the other end of the meeting space, a spear clutched in her hands. "Oh this, I could enjoy." He chuckled before sprinting over to the other end of the tightrope.

"Are the spears really necessary?" Tengan hissed angrily towards the twins as she watched Dagur leap onto the rope and retrieve his offered weapon from a clearly unsettled Fishlegs.

"Really? You didn't see this coming when I mentioned a tightrope?" Ruffnut asked in disbelief. "I expected more from you, Tengan." She shook her head in mock disappointment.

"First one to knock the other off the rope wins!" Tuffnut roared before taking several steps away to watch the tussle between the leaders.

Tengan glanced between Mala and Dagur, her grip on the small pouch of herbs tightening as she saw a dangerous glint pass between them. "Astrid, we need to be ready to step in if things go too far. We need both of them in fighting shape for the battles to come."

"Way ahead of you." Astrid grumbled, her eyes locked on the advancing opponents. "Do you two even know what mediation means?" The Nadder trainer spared a quick glare for the ecstatic twins.

"Yeah; the act of spending time and quiet thought on reflecting." Tuffnut answered in a deadpan, almost scholarly tone. "Usually resulting in clarity of mind and relaxed bowels."

"Close." Tengan sighed, her eyes still locked on the two advancing warriors suspended above them. "That would be meditation… mostly. Mediation refers to peacefully resolving conflicts by finding a compromise or common ground somewhere in the middle of the two opposing viewpoints."

"Oh." Ruffnut stroked her chin silently for a long moment as she pondered the new definition. "Well that CLEARLY wasn't working. So now is time for plan tightrope!" She cheered as they closed in. "Come on tightrope! Let's see some bodies flying!"

If she hadn't been so terrified of either chief snapping an arm or receiving a horrid gash, Tengan would have had a much more enjoyable time watching the pair spar. Both had incredibly sure footing as they all but danced back and forth on the line. Each time a spear would jut forward to knock its opponent off, the other would be ready to deflect, its owner twisting gracefully to maintain balance. For several long minutes they warred in near silence with only the occasional grunt of effort or mild strain.

As the match wore on, their faces began to shift from scowls and glares of frustration to acknowledging smirks and respectful nods. Finally, the spears came together and twisted down towards the rope as one, severing their unsteady platform with a clean slice. In unison, Dagur and Mala disengaged and sprang back, coming to land squarely on their feet across from one another.

"That wasn't entirely terrible." Dagur admitted with a small smile and nod towards Mala. "You've got a few good moves there Queenie."

"I must say you're fighting style is rather impressive." Mala responded with a small nod before turning to the twins. "Did you have any other exercises in mind?"

"Oh just you wait sister!" Ruffnut grinned as she began to lead Mala back across the clearing. "This next one I like to call 'The Scalding Stones of Blind Trust'!"

Dagur beamed excitedly over at Tengan before taking off after the women at a light jog. "Now that sounds positively berserk!" A joyous laugh exploded from deep within his chest as he caught up.

"The next one was supposed to be my pick!" Tuffnut whined as he tore off in pursuit of his sister. "It was supposed to be 'Trust Falls of Death'!"

"Wow." Astrid commented and she, Fishlegs and Tengan followed behind the group at a leisurely pace. "Their tightrope idea actually worked."

"Yeah." Fishlegs agreed, a bemused expression on his face. "I mean Dagur and Mala are both strong leaders with relatively headstrong ideals. It makes sense they would bond over something, well, intense."

"Right." Tengan agreed absently as she stared after Dagur and Mala, a tight smile on her face. There was something eerily familiar with the spark she had seen in Dagur's eyes as he fought, a hint of the hungry look he often gave her late at night when they were in bed together. Her gut twisted uncomfortably as Mala looked over and smiled at the Berserker chief; her eyes lingering a bit too long.

The heavy, uncomfortable writhing sensation in the pit of her stomach persisted as she watched Ruffnut's 'Scalding Stones of Blind Trust'. While a small sigh of relief escaped her each time Mala successfully guided Dagur along the stones floating in the Eruptodon's lava pit, she found herself frowning at each gentle giggle that escaped the pair. Her sour mood only darkened when the Queen's hands slid delicately along Dagur's shoulders as she directed him. His lingering smile of gratitude after the safe crossing did nothing to ease the young woman's concerns.

The 'Trust Falls of Death' warped the curly-haired Rider's concerned frown into an outright scowl. Stationed a little ways away from the volcanic cliff the twins picked out for the exercise, she could still clearly hear the playful "Caught you!" that escaped Dagur's lips as he set the blindfolded Queen on her feet. Worse was the lingering smile Mala gave him in return, the expression much too intimate for a leader acknowledging her peer.

"I can't believe this is actually working." Astrid stated in mild shock as she stared down at the pair quietly chatting in the volcano.

Fishlegs shrugged in disbelief. "Well maybe that old saying of opposites attracting really holds true. I mean, they do seem to be working incredibly well together!"

"You know I still can't believe this is actually working." Tuffnut commented in an offhand sort of way as he and Ruffnut joined the small group. "This has to be the dumbest thing we ever came up with."

"I know, right?" Ruffnut agreed with a cackle. "I mean look at those two!" She gestured down at the still smiling and laughing couple. "They're just eating it up!"

Tengan rounded on the twins, her temper threatening to boil over. As the first syllable escaped her mouth, a Terrible Terror swooped past her, missing her by a matter of inches as the tiny dragon collided with Fishlegs.

"Why is it always the face?" The Gronckle trainer grumbled as he delicately pried the dragon off his head and retrieved the scroll tied to it's leg. "Hopefully it's from Hiccup with a good reason as to why he and Snotlout are so late." Unrolling the parchment he quickly skimmed its contents, his expression shifting from annoyance to sheer horror as he finished. "The Dragon Fliers are attacking Wingmaiden Island."

Astrid spun on her heel and cupped her hands over her mouth. "Dagur! Mala! Hiccup's in trouble!"

Tengan's insides temporarily froze over and she and the others pelted full out towards the beach, desperately calling to their dragons as they ran. On the third call, Rumble appeared over the furthest line of buildings, flanked by the other dragons as they dove towards their respective charges. She quickly swung herself up into the saddle and glanced around to make sure the others were all ready to take off. Her heart skipped a beat as she caught sight of Mala settled comfortably in Sleuther's saddle, one arm looped around Dagur's waist. Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of the Queen's content smile.

"Tengan, you should-" Dagur began as he noticed Rumble readying to take off, his eyes sparkling with worry.

Without waiting for him to finish, she urged the Skrill into the air, her face burning with frustration. "How dare he try to suggest I sit this one out." She growled down to Rumble, who hissed in response to his Rider's anger. Several times during the group's hurried flight, she changed places in formation whenever Dagur tried to direct Sleuther to hover behind, beside, or below them. Each time, she'd dive or loop out of the way to hover behind and slightly above Sleuther, her narrowed eyes fixated on Mala. Her scowl deepened each time the older woman shifted her grip on Dagur's waist and shoulders.

"Are you alright?" Astrid finally asked as she and Stormfly sidled up along the tense Skrill.

"I'm fine." Tengan quickly lied, struggling to force an impassive expression on her face as she willed her hands to unclench and her shoulders to relax.

Astrid stared between Sleuther's passengers and her clearly troubled friend for several wingbeats before continuing. "You know, as much as I miss having you at the Edge, I'm glad you're on Berserker Isle with Dagur. You two are weirdly perfect for eachother and he knows it." She spoke quietly, making sure her words only reached their intended target.

Tengan turned her attention fully to the blonde Rider, an embarrassed half smile creeping onto her face. "I'm that obvious, huh?"

Astrid smiled back. "Only to me. And if it bothers you so much, maybe make sure everyone knows where you two stand…. After we get Hiccup and Snotlout out of trouble. I  
need you on top of your game."

"Of course." Tengan agreed with a short, curt nod, her expression set as she wrestled down her frustration towards the overstepping queen and embarrassment at her own actions. "Let's make sure those Fliers regret ever attacking one of our allies."

As the Sun rose over the ocean, the Riders approached Wingmaiden Island in time to see a lone Wingmaiden fleeing from several Singetails. "Get ready to fire from the side while they're distracted!" Mala called out the instruction as they closed in.

"On your command!" Dagur roared, grinning ear to ear as Sleuther sped towards the unsuspecting Flier.

"Wait is that Wingmaiden… Snotlout?!" Fishlegs cried out in confusion as he watched his fellow Rider dive and roll to avoid several blasts from the lead Singetail, screaming all the while.

"So it is!" Tengan roared back, struggling with the impulse to ignore Mala's reasonable instruction out of spite. "But we'll have to ask him about that later. We've got a bit of a problem right now!" She snarled as Krogan rose up out of the treeline on his alpha Singetail, blocking the group from coming to their friend's aid.

The unmistakable whistling sound of a plasma blast cut through the air seconds before the brilliantly blue bolt crashed into Krogan and his dragon, sending the Singetail stumbling in the air as it struggled to right itself.

"Now!" Mala roared as their target presented an exposed side to the waiting Riders. A cheer ripped through her as Sluether responded with a blast of his own, hitting almost exactly where Toothless had struck moments before.

Tengan found her gaze momentarily ripped away from the leader of the Fliers as one of his men soared past them, jerking and writhing as a hatchling Razorwhip carried him into the nearest pine before releasing it's iron-like grip. "Clever." She murmured to herself while making a mental note to ask Hiccup and Snotlout about the mechanics of weaponizing baby dragons in the near future.

"You sure you want to pick this fight today Krogan?" Hiccup taunted as he and Toothless took their place at the head of the pack. "It seems you're a bit outnumbered at the moment."

The sight was not lost on the lead Flier, who chanced glancing away at the flock of angry dragons and Riders to glance around. Noticing nearly all of his Flier had been plucked from their dragons, he scowled at the group before harshly yanking his dragon around and quickly fleeing into the rising Sun's light.

"We make a pretty good team!" Dagur and Mala observed simultaneously before sharing a light bark of laughter. "I can't believe we ever argued!" Dagur commented brightly.

"Nor can I, Dagur the Deranged." Mala agreed as she laid a gentle hand on his upper arm.

"De-Ranged!" Dagur chuckled as he attempted to mimic the Queen's accent. "It sounds so royal when you say it!"

"Talk to him." Astrid commented sharply as she flew Stormfly directly across Tengan's line of sight. "I hate seeing you make that face."

"What face?" The Scribe countered weakly as she forced her scowl to resemble something more appealing. Catching Astrid's unconvinced glare, she nodded slowly. "Once we land, I'll talk to him." She promised. As the group touched among the thankfully unharmed group of Wingmaidens, she slid carefully out of the saddle, giving Rumble an appreciative pat as he pressed his belly flat against the earth to shorten the distance for her. With a short, determined huff she marched over to Sleuther, who had crouched low to let his laughing riders dismount with ease.

Hearing her approach, Dagur turned towards Tengan, a large grin on his face. "Did you see-" His question sharply cut off as he was quickly yanked forward by the front of his breastplate, his lips crashing into Tengan's in a sudden kiss. After a quick, muffled noise of surprise, he melted into the display of affection, his arms coming up to wrap around her waist.

With a cocky smirk, she pressed deeper into the kiss and slid her arms up and over his shoulders. As the murmured conversations around the couple abruptly halted, she nipped rather roughly at his lower lip before withdrawing, her eyes momentarily flicking to Mala's stunned expression.

"What was that for?" Dagur asked with a lopsided grin. "Not that I'm complaining." He growled into her ear as his fingers dug into the flesh of her hips.

"Is now really the time for all this?" Hiccup called out to the embracing pair, his exasperation, exhaustion and waning patience all abundantly clear. "We chased the Fliers off but there's still a lot to do. Where did you decide to hide the other Dragon Eye lenses?"

"Actually, we haven't yet." Mala responded, her voice slightly uneven as she forced herself to focus only on Hiccup. "Dagur and I were in the midst of…. debating which of our two islands was the better hiding place."

"So are you going to answer my question?" Dagur hummed into Tengan's ear as he gently turned the smaller woman so they both faced the discussion. His hands trailed absentmindedly towards her stomach and came to rest on the small bump.

Tengan leaned back against him, a triumphant smile fixed in place. "I just missed you today is all." She responded airily, her hands coming up to rest over her lover's. "I had gotten used to having your attention on me." She admitted quietly, grateful for her darker skin as it hid the embarrassed flush that was climbing up her neck.

After the exhausting trek, short but intense battle, and yet another night of no sleep, there was little argument when Hiccup suggested the lenses be stored on Wingmaiden Island. His argument was sound enough. The Fliers temporarily had control of the island when they attacked and were unable to locate any during their short rule. It stood to reason they would have no desire to double back. Besides, the deep, dark cave the Wingmaidens chose was only accessible if you flew either directly over their base or past the aggressive den of nesting Razorwhips.

As the morning wore on, Tengan found herself hovering near her betrothed whenever she wasn't actively catching up with her friends or taking notes on Hiccup and Snotlout recounting of their recent adventure. Several times she caught Mala staring with open confusion and mild disappointment as Dagur bent to kiss the top of her head and struggled not to look too pleased with herself. When he asked Hiccup to join the pair on a short walk to discuss a private manner, she had to fight a smug grin as he slid a protective arm around her waist.

"Brother, I have something very important to ask you." Dagur began after they had appropriately distanced themselves from the group. Withdrawing his arm, he glanced down at the ground, wringing his hands in nervous anticipation. "I, well I mean to say, we" He gestured towards Tengan, a weak smile briefly returning to his features. "Have been thinking a lot about our upcoming ceremony and I need to know." He dropped to one knee and desperately grabbed at Hiccup's hand. "Would you do the honor of being my best viking?"

Hiccup glanced nervously between Dagur's nervously hopeful face and Tengan's bemused and slightly confused grin. "Uh, sure. O-Of course." He finally stammered out with a half smile.

Roaring with joy, Dagur swept the smaller man into a tight embrace and bounced on his feet, laughter echoing across the beach. "Oh Hiccup! You've made me so happy!" With one final squeeze, he set Hiccup down and placed his hands on both shoulders, staring the other man down as his smile faded into a serious glare. "I'll need you to take on your most important responsibility as my best viking right away."

"And what exactly are his responsibilities?" Tengan asked lightly as she eyed the pair, fighting a wave of laughter at Hiccup's confused expression. "I've never heard of a 'best viking' before. Neither you nor Astrid mentioned it when I asked about Berkian Union Ceremonies last year, Hiccup."

"Well, it's a pretty old custom that not everyone follows nowadays. Usually, it's a warrior trusted by the couple to defend their ceremony from any enemies that might try to destroy or sabotage their union." Hiccup explained with an exasperated smile. "Although, in the last couple generations it's mostly been an honorary title if the couple even chooses to designate one."

"Really, I never told you?" Dagur turned to face his beloved, his head cocked to the side. "Could have sworn I explained it a couple days ago when we were talking about the guest list. Anyways, Hiccup is right. Well, mostly right. This is no honorary title, brother. I need you to help Heather keep an eye on Tengan and our child for the next three weeks."

"Woah woah, hold on Dagur." Tengan stepped in, her brow knitting in frustration and confusion. "What do you mean by that? Our plan was to join the summit and then travel to the Shimmering Shores together while Heather led the Berserkers in your stead. My mother has no idea we've decided to move the ceremony up or even who her new son is to be! Let alone knowledge of our child!"

Dagur smiled, his expression pained as he slowly released Hiccup to gather her hands in his. "Baby, things have to happen a little sooner than we wanted. I know you were really looking forward to visiting your homeland, and I was excited to see it, but we can't right now." He sighed heavily, his expression pained. "I hate to do this to you, but I need you to stay on Berserker Isle for the next three weeks while I finish the preparations."

Tengan snatched her hands away and glared at the two men; reserving the majority of her anger for Dagur after seeing Hiccup's look of utter confusion. "And just where will you be while I'm restricted to our island like a helpless child?" Her volume and pitch rose as she spoke.

Undeterred, Dagur closed the gap between them, his hands gripping desperately onto her upper arms. "There are some things I need to do before the ceremony, things that, if everything were normal, I wouldn't hesitate to have you with me. I meant what I said before; I never want to be so far away that I can't protect you both. But look, Tengan;" He gestured to the still smoking and blackened shells of the Wingmaiden's base. "Those Fliers destroyed this place and nearly killed everyone here because they thought a lens might have been hidden on the island. This war is getting, well, berserk." He chuckled dryly at his own joke. "And you know how much I enjoy a good, bloody battle. But you mean more to me. And I'd never forgive myself if you were attacked while we made our way south."

"And what of my family? My people?" She asked quietly, the homesick pang in her voice ringing forth clear as day. "Are we to leave them in the dark of our union and the threat that might storm their shores?"

Hiccup stepped in, clearing his throat. "I don't think they're in any immediate danger so long as the Fliers are looking for the King of Dragons. Tengan, I have to agree with Dagur on this one." He flinched at her dark glare. "The two of you flying down to them now would certainly draw them after you. Although, I fail to see why you need three weeks to prepare a small ceremony, Dagur." He added quickly, his gaze flicking to the Berserker chief.

"Who said anything about it being small?" The fiery-haired viking began with a look of feigned offense. "Berserks go all out all the time." His gaze tracked back to the still scowling woman before him. "I want to give you the best Union Ceremony the archipelago has ever seen!" He smiled hopefully down at her as he slowly recaptured her hands. "So? Will you do as I ask, or do I have to lock you in that cell on Outcast Island?"

Tengan growled under her breath as she glared evenly back at him, well aware the fatigue from another missed night of sleep seemed to be eating away at the more rational side of her brain. "You still haven't told me exactly where you'll be for those three weeks." She weakly argued, trying to find a foothold that would allow her argument to take hold.

Dagur smirked down at her, sensing the conversation had begun to shift in his favor. "And I'm not going to. I know you too well. You'd follow me the moment the others had their backs turned if I told you."

She glared at the two men for a long moment, well aware Dagur initiated the conversation now in order to take full advantage of her exhausted state. "Three weeks from tomorrow and not a day more." She eventually acquiesced. "If you're even half a day late, Rumble and I are coming after you, Fliers or no Fliers." She held a hand up to delay his response as she continued. "And, the day after we eliminate Johann once and for all, no matter how far along I am, we're going straight down to the Shimmering Shores. A bonded partner and a swollen belly is one thing; I refuse to spring you and a newborn on my mother at the same time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: No chapter next week. My parents are coming to visit so I won't have the time to dedicate it deserves. I'll have it up the following Sat/Sun Oct 10/11. But it'll be a good one, I promise! We're finally getting to Tengan and Dagur's union ceremony!


	27. The Pair Who Fly Together... (1 of 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Please don’t hate me but the ceremony will be in next week’s chapter. This one started to run on so long there was no way I’d be able to write everything I wanted to this weekend without it feeling rushed or forced. It does feel good to be back though! I’ve missed you all!

A/N: Thank you all for being patient with me while I spent time with my parents last week! It's been way too long since we were able to spend time with one another. Again, proper recognition is in order! Baisley has gifted me with even more amazing fluffy goodness and has dubbed our power couple Tengur! Again, if you're a HTTYD junkie like me, please check out the fics over at https://archiveofourown.org/users/baisley.

“So, if I’m understanding this correctly, the four hundred boar feast does not actually consist of four hundred boars?” Tengan asked as she continued to write in one of the three open journals before her. The center one glistened with half dry passages detailing all the Berserker Union Ceremony customs her soon-to-be sister regaled her with over the past few weeks. To it’s right, her newest personal journal sat open, it’s own passages pitifully short the last few days. Most of her free time had been spent on the third journal: a personal recount of every interaction Tengan could recall having had with Dagur from the moment they met until his departure from Caldera Cay nearly three weeks ago. Every thought and emotion she had towards him was laid bare in those pages, from her unbridled fury and disgust during their earlier years to her overwhelming love, devotion, and respect she held for the man today.

“Exactly.” Heather answered as she adjusted the one small window in the library to capitalize on the sunlight. “As far as I know no ceremony has actually had four hundred boars. The closest I know of was somewhere around two hundred.”

“Well.” Tengan began as she placed her quill down and began to stand. “It’s incredibly lucky for us Dagur’s not overseeing the main preparations. I have a hunch he’d demand at least four hundred.”

Heather snorted with laughter. “Oh he tried to demand five hundred on his to-do scroll. He’ll have to survive with the seventy five Snotlout and the Twins brought back. That’s still almost a whole boar per person in attendance.” Retrieving said scroll from her belt, she unrolled it and began to skim through the contents. “Last day of prep. Really all that’s left for you is the final gown fitting later today and that journal for Dagur. He was really adamant on incorporating that part of your people’s custom into the ceremony. Is it finished?”

Finally rising completely from her chair, the expecting mother pressed the palms of both hands into the small of her back as she stretched. The last few weeks saw her stomach continue to grow with slow, steady progress. With the extra weight came an almost consistent dull ache in her lower back that only eased when she laid on her side with a rolled fur propped between her knees. Grimacing slightly, she shrugged. “Almost. But I never will be able to finish it. The purpose of the journal is to document our lives together. It will be up to this little one” She gently rubbed her swelling bump. “to finish our passages after we’ve passed on.” Standing on her tiptoes, she attempted to peer over Heather’s shoulder. “Any chance you’ll let me help out with something else? I’m sure there’s something-”

“Oh no you don’t!” Heather jumped away, quickly stowing the mildly crumpled scroll back in her belt. “My brother was very clear on keeping you well away from the preparations. He’d be heartbroken if you ruined one of the surprises.” She smiled, the gesture softening her usually stern features. “Hiccup and the others have a pretty lax day too. Why don’t you take Rumble, Windshear, and Shattermaster out with them for a bit of exercise before the fitting? I won’t have enough time today.”

Tengan’s eyes narrowed playfully. “You can’t fool me. You’re just trying to keep me out of the way.” She released an overly dramatic sigh. “I’ll go. If only because once Dagur gets back and sees how big I’m getting it’ll be near impossible to fly without him hovering Rumble’s flank.” Her playful expression slipped from her face as she glanced at the mid-morning sunlight streaming in from the open window. “Today marks three weeks. If he’s not back by sundown-”

“I’ll saddle up Windshear and we’ll go looking for him together. That, I promise you.” Heather returned the serious expression as the two women gripped each other’s forearms. “Now go, he’ll be back by tonight and I am not going to let him gripe about something as trivial as a misplaced flower arrangement.”

Tengan gave Heather a warm smile and curt nod before carefully making her way down the stairs and outside. As she meandered towards the small group of huts the Riders had been using the past few weeks, she paused to greet every Berserker who hailed her. All the islands residents had learned of the upcoming ceremony and almost seemed more excited for the excuse to drink and celebrate than she was. Many of the women praised the small future chief or chieftess she was growing and, if the conversation she had overheard the other evening was correct, many were betting eggs and milk on whether it would be a boy or a girl.

“Hey, there you are!” Hiccup hailed with a somewhat exhausted smile as he trotted over. “Toothless and I just finished-” He broke off suddenly, one hand coming up to rub the back of his head. “Well, just finished our last task. Where are you headed?”

Tegan smiled back at her friend, well aware of the heavy bags under his eyes. Between patrols at the Edge and frequent stops on Berserker Island to uphold his promise to Dagur, she knew he had been getting very little sleep. She hadn’t truly realized the extent of his exhaustion until he agreed to all the Riders staying on the island for the final few days before the Union Ceremony with no argument. “Where you just came from. Heather asked me to exercise Windshear and Shattermaster for her so I’m heading up to the stables.”

“I’ll come with you.” Hiccup offered with a weary smile and a small sigh as he turned to start trudging up the hilly path once more.

“You said you and Toothless finished working not a minute ago.” Tengan stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you head back to the hut and take a quick nap? I think Astrid had mentioned readying the stables today for the guests from Berk. I’ll see if she has a minute to help me.”

“As far as I know she’s still up there.” He agreed, his expression torn. “Are you sure? I could always walk you up there anyway. It’s a long way to go alone.” The one-legged viking offered sincerely despite his not too subtle glances towards his temporary lodging and waiting bed.

“First of all I’m never really alone anymore.” Tengan teased as she gently rubbed her swollen stomach with her free hand. “And yes, I’ll be fine. It’s a path I’ve taken many times before.” Patting his back, she began the climb. “Oh but if you aren’t too tired AND looking for something else to do I’m sure Heather could use the extra pair of hands.” She called lightly over her shoulder.

“You know a nap sounds great right about now.” Hiccup quickly stammered as he took a few steps away from the hill. “I’ll see you later this evening then!” His eyes darting around for any trace of the dark haired Berserker, he quickly shuffled off before Heather appeared to summon him for yet another chore.

With a small chuckle, Tengan turned to climb the steep hill, a daily challenge she relished in. As her child continued to grow, the hill presented a slightly harder challenge each day. Twice this week she had to stop halfway up to rest on a fallen log as the dull ache in her back complained at the exertion. “Walking is the least difficult thing we’ll have to do if the Fliers attack again, little one. We can’t completely rely on your father and the dragons to protect us.” She spoke to her stomach through gritted teeth as the crest finally came into view. Pausing long enough to take in several greedy lungfuls of air, she approached the bustling group of people surrounding the stables.

Astrid was busy barking orders to the young teens Heather had assigned to her to clean out and organize the stables. Over the past couple days, all of the stalls had been swept, scrubbed, and new bedding had been laid out in each one. Considering all the guests form Berk would be arriving by dragon, it was imperative the stables be ready for the half dozen or so new inhabitants that would land the following day. “Comeon now, they won’t hurt you!” The blond roared to a small boy who had dropped a bucket full of fish as Barf and Belch approached from behind. “No! Back off you two, you already had your breakfast!”

“I see the twins still haven’t taught them any ground manners.” Tengan commented dryly as she sidled up next to her frustrated friend, her smile widening as the Zippleback plunged its heads into the bucket. 

“You would think coming of age would have had more of an impact on them.” Astrid replied with a heavy sigh as she resigned to letting the dragon have its prize. “It’s probably better you missed that party.” She fully turned to face Tengan, a warm smile on her face. “At least tomorrow’s celebration will be organized. Despite a few missteps, the stables are almost ready. Did you need something?”

“Actually, yes.” Tengan responded with an equally genuine smile. “Heather asked me to take Windshear and Shattermaster out for a bit of exercise. I was wondering if I could borrow you and Stormfly for an hour or so to help. That won’t put too much of a strain on you, will it?”

“An hour I can definitely do.” Astrid agreed with a curt nod. “They should be able to finish up without me at this point. I’ll check in when we land and should still be able to make it to your final gown fitting. That Oga works quickly. Are all Berserker seamstresses so…. dedicated?”

Tengan nodded in agreement. “Dagur wasn’t lying when he spoke of going all out. It seems they, well I should say we, put our all into whatever passion drives us.” Cupping her hands over her mouth she let out three distinct dragon calls to summon the Skrill, Razorwhip and Gronckle.

Astrid copied the motion with a single Nadder call. “No wonder you two get on so well. Any news of when he’ll be back yet?”

“No, not yet. And today is the last day of the three weeks he asked for.” She admitted with a frown, the expression quickly shifting back into a small smile as several young teens fell over themselves as they scrambled to get out of the way of the emerging dragons.

“He’ll be back. Dagur would never leave you waiting. Neither of you.” she added with a small glance at her friend’s protruding belly.

Tengan began to respond but her words died in her throat as Rumble shouldered his way to the front of the small group of dragons and pressed his cheek against her stomach. Closing his eyes, he hummed deep in his chest, the vibrations traveling through his skull to the growing child. Smiling, she reached under his chin and rubbed small circles around the smaller scales. “He’s been doing that almost every day now.” She explained to Astrid before stepping away to greet Windshear and Shattermaster. 

“Dragons are naturally protective of their young.” The blond commented as she climbed into Stormfly’s saddle. “It seems Rumble’s decided to adopt your’s as his own.” She gazed over at the pair of riderless dragons. “Alright you two! Let’s get those tails in the air. There’s a good breeze out by the sea stacks! Perfect for some fast turns.”

Tengan carefully climbed into Rumble’s saddle as the dragon laid flat against the ground to accommodate her. Laughter escaped her as they took to the air, Windshear trailing close behind Stormfly, while Shattermaster hovered close to Rumble’s right wingtip. She eyes the Gronckle as they angled out to sea, aware his right wing seemed to stall for a beat or two every few seconds. While he had mostly healed from the horrid injuries the Fliers had given him a few months back, it seemed he would never again be able to maneuver with the same dexterity he once had. The handicap seemed to do little to deter the perpetually happy Gronkle. Every time his wing stalled he simply tilted his body to the left until it started back up again. “Maybe we should focus on dives or formation flying instead?” Tengan called out to Astrid as she discreetly gestured to their injured member.

Astrid frowned thoughtfully as she watched Shattermaster stall and tilt once again. “Good plan. We don’t want to over-tire the dragons before tomorrow.”

“What do you mean by that?” Tengan asked, her head cocked to the side. “Don’t tell me you have something planned for the dragons in tomorrow’s ceremony! They can’t get anywhere near the village square without freaking out!”

Astrid smirked. “Now where would you go and get an idea like that?” Urging Stormfly forward, she cheered as the Nadder put on a burst of speed, followed closely by a clearly excited Windshear. “No more talk! It’s time to see who can get closest to the waves after diving off that tall stack!”

The hour quickly turned into two as the two girls playfully competed. Several times they swapped mounts and repeated their dives and races with every possible combination of Rider and dragon. Tengan had to admit she was rather impressed when Astrid and Shattermaster managed to beat her and Windshear in a race when the pair dropped and carefully hovered through a small opening between two large sea stacks that the Razorwhip had to fly around. The dragons seemed to enjoy the time out in the air and sea spray. All four had to pull air into their massive lungs with a bit more force than usual when the young women finally halted the exercise.

“You know we’ve gone way over the hour.” Tengan commented quietly as she sat on the largest stack with the back leaning against Rumble’s side.

“Well, then the stables better be perfect by the time I get back.” Astrid replied with a smile as she retrieved several strips of dried chicken from Stormfly’s saddlebag before offering a few pieces to each of the dragons.

“I’m going to miss this after tomorrow.” Tengan added suddenly as she stared out at the endless ocean before them. “I know Hiccup will want to head back to the Edge as soon as possible. You’ve already left it unmanned for too long as it is. And as much as I want to believe we’ll see each other all the time…”

“You’ll have responsibilities here now too. Not to mention trying to raise a mini Dagur.” She teased gently as she settled into a crouch in front of her friend. “Hey. Don’t forget you’re a Rider too. Always will be. We may not see each other every day but we’ve always got your back.” She gently pressed her fist into Tengan’s shoulder.

A booming roar split the quiet air above the resting dragons and Riders as a large shadow blotted out the sun. Enormous ebony wings flared out on either side of the bright yellow body as Sleuther began to drop towards the small group. As his head tipped down to control the slow descent, Dagur’s beaming face appeared over his back. “There’s my baby!” he hollered as he swung over the saddle and dropped the remaining few feet from his dragon’s back onto the rock below.

Half out of joy for their reunion and half out of fear her staggering lover was about to topple off the edge, Tengan scrambled to her feet and forcefully yanked Dagur away from the ledge, her eyes wide. “It’s about time you made it back!” She teased, tears of relief pricking the corners of her eyes as she threw her arms around him. “You cut it close. I was getting worried.” She whispered in his ear as his typical leather spice smell filled her lungs.

Dagur’s arms closed around her as he squeezed as tightly as he dared while still allowing space for her rounded belly. “Oh I’ve missed you two so much! Never again!” He promised as he gently lifted her off the ground.

The embracing lovers barely had time to pull away when a wiggling Shattermaster forced his snout in between them, his tongue desperately searching for Dagur’s face.

“He missed you too.” Tengan giggled as she backed away from the Gronckle, content to avoid the over enthusiastic greeting the dragon insisted upon for his returning rider.

“Hey boy! Did you take good care of our girl while I was gone? I bet you did!” Dagur lifted the dragon’s massive head in his hands, pressing the heels of his palms into the reptile’s somewhat squishy cheeks. “Oh, hey Astrid!” He added after a moment, his eyes flicking to the blond for a moment. “What are you doing out here? Not going to lie, I was expecting Heather whe I saw Windshear.”

Astrid slowly rose to her feet and dusted off her skirt. “She’s busy prepping for tomorrow. Tengan asked me to help her exercise this lot since the stables were almost done.” As she spoke she meandered across the now considerably crowded sea stack to Stormfly.

“That was your project?” Dagur asked as he deftly sidestepped Shattermaster’s searching tongue and wrapped his arm around Tengan once more. “They look great!”

“You’ve been to the stables already?” Tengan asked as she tilted her head back to catch a glimpse of the viking towering over her.

“Had to drop a few things off as soon as we landed. Part of the reason it took me so long to get back.” His smile morphed into a teasing smirk. “There’s a surprise for you back at the stables. Want to see it?”

Shifting out of his arms, she stared back, her eyes narrow. “What took you three weeks to find and return to our island, Dagur?”

He shrugged and grinned, avoiding her gaze. “Guess you’ll have to fly back with me and find out.”

The now slightly larger group of five dragons quickly winged their way back to the clifftop stable. Shattermaster, though clearly exhausted from his exercises, still found the energy to loop and twist around Sleuther, to the mild annoyance of the Triple Stryke. As they landed in the neatly swept clearing reserved for take offs and landings, Tengan slipped from Rumble’s saddle and glanced around the comparatively quiet space. It seemed the teens, finished with their tasks, had fled before Astrid could reassign them and the dragons still housed inside were content to chirp and whistle quietly to one another. “Where is it?”

His boots dully thudding against the packed earth, Dagur marched over and offered his arm. “It’s inside. Comeon, I’ll show you.” Glancing at Astrid over their shoulders, he raised his voice slightly to be better heard. “You should come too. From what I hear you know each other.”

“So it’s a person? Or perhaps a dragon?” Tengan needled him for any additional clues as the trio walked towards the open door, the dragons happily crawling along behind them. Her questions were answered as a shrill chirp sounded from within the dark stable, followed by a small green blur darting out and thudding against her chest. Staggering under the weight, Tengan managed to grab hold of the now recognizable Terror as it purred and pressed against her. “Kelp! However did you get here?” She greeted the small dragon with a slight squeeze. “You’re heavier than the last time I saw you! What has Mother been feeding you! Wait-” Her expression froze as she glanced between Dagur and the empty doorway. “Wait, does that mean?”

“See for yourself.” He answered plainly as he gestured broadly to the stable’s doorway with his free hand where three figures quickly appeared. Makara and Frewin emerged, followed by a sapphire blue and ebony Raincutter, its ivory spots and speckles almost blinding as it crept out into the sunlight. “It wasn’t safe for you to travel that far south but I knew how much you wanted them to be here.” He explained quietly, a warm smile appearing as he caught sight of her stunned expression.

“Well don’t just stand there like a plains deer before a torch!” Frewin boomed, the gleam of his massive grin contrasting against his dark complexion. “Come and meet Wavebreaker! I want to learn all you know about my new partner!”

Time seemed to simultaneously move impossibly fast and stand still. Tengan found herself crushed in a hug between her parents one moment, and grinning as Kelp and Rumble greeted each other with mismatched roars the next. For what felt like several minutes but could have only been a few seconds, she stood patiently while both her parents lightly touched the curve of her belly and expressed their undying joy and love to their unborn grandchild. At some point, Makara had pulled Astrid into the fray as well; embracing the young warrior before asking her to elaborate on the few adventures she had read about in Tengan’s more recent letters. A large chunk of time was spent introducing Wavebreaker to the other dragons and marveling in his unique abilities. More than once, Tengan silently wished she had brought along her small journal. It had just become too uncomfortable to carry lately, as its pocket was sewn into the beltline of many of her shirts. The conversation always seemed to steer back toward one central point; Makara and Frewin’s joy at being able to be present at the upcoming Union Ceremony.

“I hate to break up this reunion.” Astrid started with a gentle hand on Tengan’s shoulder as the conversation began to wind down. “But if we aren’t down at Oga’s hut for your final gown fitting Heather WILL have my head.”

“Oh?” Makara voiced, her head cock inquisitively. “You’ve decided on incorporating the traditional white gown most viking ceremonies use?”

Tengan, leaning heavily against Dagur’s side for the physical support and the mental comfort he always provided, nodded. “Yes, it is something important to the Berserkers, I mean, my people. All women skilled with sewing have had some hand in crafting it. Would you like to come along?”

Makara’s eyes twinkled as she smiled. “Of course, Little Scribe. I would love to see the island you now call home. Dagur has been regaling your father and I with plenty of stories of his tribe and the dangers you’ve all been pushing back these past few moons.”

Frewin nodded in agreement as his eyes met Dagur’s. “I for one am excited to see the sparring arena you mentioned. It’s been a good long while since I’ve been able to test my steel against a skilled viking warrior.”

Dagur chortled as he gestured towards Frewin. “Pops you are in for a treat!” His eyes gleamed at the prospect of testing his strength against his soon-to-be father. Offering Tengan his arm, he began to lead the group out of the stables and down the long, winding path to the village center.

Tengan, her arm clamped down on Dagur’s arm to keep her balance, walked slowly. Every once in a while she would answer a question asked of her directly or would offer a comment here or there, but mostly she was content to listen to the conversation around her. It brought relief and warmth to her heart to see her betrothed and both her parents enjoying each other’s company. Occasionally her mind wandered back to Wavebreaker and her smile widened. There was much for her and Frewi to catch up on.

As they neared the first line of huts, Frewin and Dagur splintered off and jogged towards the area while the others finished their trek towards the lead seamstress’ hut. As they approached the closed door, a loud, partially muffled voice carried through the door.

“No! All wrong. I mean, seriously, you call this proper bunching? The stitches will come loose the second she goes to dance. And the hem in front is way too long! Her belly isn’t that huge yet!”

“Is that… Ruffnut?” Astrid asked in disbelief as she paused in front of the closed door.

“Ah, you refer to the female twin who rides the Zippleback?” Makara asked as she quietly observed the pair of younger women.

“Yes, that would be her.” Tengan answered with a patient sigh. “None of us knew she had such a…. passion for sewing. Think we should get in there before Oga takes her head off?” She added to Astrid with a small smile.

“Only because we won’t have enough time to replace your gown if she bleeds on it.” Astrid responded with a light chuckle as she shouldered the heavy wooden door open.

It seems the others arrived just in time. Oga would later argue that the scissors she was holding were simply to trim the fur on the shoulder pieces but Tengan was never really convinced. No one holds a blade overhead in a clenched fist for a benign reason. Although, none could admit Ruffnut’s criticisms were wrong. As Tengan shed her outer garments and allowed the gown to be draped over her shoulders, she noticed the front WAS a bit too long and the gathered bits of cloth at her hips did end up having to be redone after one of the stitches came loose.

“Let’s see how it looks now.” Makara spoke up roughly an hour or so later as she, Oga, Ruffnut and Astrid all took several steps back.

Tengan beamed at the onlookers, her heart beating rapidly. After the last minute alterations, the gown looked simply divine. A three-quarter sleeve, white cloth gown gently hugged her frame, stopping just an inch off the floor. A Gronckle Iron belt, it’s design similar to her betrothal necklace cinched just above her rounded belly, drawing attention to the growing child. Her forearms were clasped in matching Gronckle Iron bracers, long delicate scrolling designs embossed in the metal. A capelet of white fur sat upon her shoulders, held in place with a delicate chain that rested along her collarbone and attached to a pair of matching Berserker seals, also made of the same shimmering iron, on either side. The final piece, a delicate shining circlet of braided bands of metal sat on her head, although much of it was consumed by her wind mane of hair.

“I’m so sorry I’m so late.” Heather gasped as she burst through the door. “I ran into Dagur and had to catch him up on all the prep. Tengan did you know your parents are-” Her sentence cut off completely as she caught sight of the finished gown. “You’re going to make my brother cry tomorrow.” She finally commented with a wide smile.

“Of that I have no doubt.” Makara responded as she fought to look away from her radiant daughter. “You must be Heather. I thank you for the hospitality you’ve shown my family.” She inclined her head in a slight bow.

Heather hastened to repeat the action. “We’re all family now. It’s the least we can do.” She smiled once more before sinking into an empty chair. “Although, I will admit I’m glad all of the prep is almost done. It will be nice to just sit back and enjoy the festivities tomorrow.”

“Everything is finally done then? I’m impressed.” Tengan shifted and held her arms aloft while Oga bustled about her, tugging on the gown in several places to ensure the seams were perfect. “I thought you’d be busy well after sunset.” She mused, pausing the adjustments several times to push her hair from her eyes as the circlet shifted.

“You bite your tongue.” Heater wearily chided as her head dipped backwards and her eyes closed. “I can promise when my Union Ceremony comes we’ll simply recite the words and eat whatever is lying around.”

“Oh?” Astrid chimed in with a sly glance over at Ruffnut. “Has Fishlegs asked you yet?”

“Yeah.” Ruff added, catching onto Asrid’s meaning. “I haven’t seen any evidence of a betrothal gift. Unless he gave you a dragon egg….. that would definitely be a Fishlegs kind of gift.”

Makara smiled at the younger womens’ gentle taunts, her eyes momentarily glazing with distant memories. Tengan’s continuous fidgeting with her hair caught her attention once more. “What were you planning on doing with your hair, Little Scribe?”

Tengan paused as Oga moved to adjust her belt. “I hadn’t planned on doing anything special with it actually. I recall a few of the braid patterns you taught me but have never had the patience to get them to lie flat.”

Makara chuckled. “Fair enough. If you like, since our evening is now free, I can create the Waterfall pattern if you’d like.”

“Waterfall?” Ruffnut spoke up as she dodged a lazy swipe from Heather. “Are you going to dye your hair? That would ruin the whole color scheme we’ve been working on!”

Tengan struggled to contain her laugh, aware old Oga was likely almost out of patience with the vocal Rider. “No, Ruff. It’s a style of braiding. They’ll travel up one side of my head against the scalp and pull away as they cascade down the other. The last three or four inches are left unbraided to mimic the rolling waves and foam at the bottom of a waterfall. It takes a couple hours to complete and needs… wait” She glanced over at Makara. “I don’t have the scented oils.”

Makara’s smile deepened. “I have them in my bags. I had an inkling you might want it.” She turned her smile upon the other young women. “Since your daily tasks are complete you’d all be welcome to accompany us. As my daughter explained the process does take a couple hours and good company always makes the time go faster…. If that’s alright with you Tengan.” She added quickly, her tone slightly abashed as she seemed to realize she spoke for her adult child in her own lands.

Tengan smiled, heartened by her mother’s deference to her position. “That’s an excellent idea, Mother. What do you all say?” Her smile split into a grin as the others agreed. As soon as Oga deemed her gown officially complete and she shimmied back into her normal clothes the group left with repeated promises the young women would be back an hour after noon to ready themselves for the ceremony. 

Within the hour the women were settled comfortably in the main room of Tengan and Dagur’s hut with a pot of stew warming over a cracking fire. While most of the group sat in the chairs and benches strewn about the hut, Tengan sat on a pile of furs on the floor before her mother as she worked diligently through her winding curls. As they ate, laughed and talked, the untamable curls slowly came to heel under Makara’s skilled fingers. The scented plant oils slicked the braids and wafted across the room, adding a peaceful haze to the cheerful discussion that ranged from Tengan’s pregnancy to the upcoming ceremony, to Fishlegs’ recent dilemma with some uncovered history about a few dragon hunting ancestors, to Makara’s recent journeys, and everything else in between.

“There you two are!” Tengan greeted from her perch on the floor as Dagur and Frewin eventually stumbled through the doors, their shoulders heaving with exhaustion. “Good sparring session, I take it?”

“Either way their timing is perfect.” Makara commented as she gently tilted her daughters head back and forth. “You’re done, Little Scribe.”

“And that’s our cue to leave.” Astrid spoke up for the others as she stood, dragging Heather and Ruffnut to their feet alongside her. “We’ll see you tomorrow at Oga’s, Tengan. Night!”

Dagur dutifully grinned and held the door open as the young women slipped past him. “What have you been up to, baby?” He asked, still slightly out of breath as he walked over. “Woah!” He commented, his eyebrows raising in mild surprise as he beheld her new hairstyle. “I had no idea your hair could DO that.” He smiled, fixated with the braids as he helped her from the floor and onto an overstuffed cushion on the wooden bench nestled near the fireplace.

“It’s called the Waterfall.” Tengan explained patiently, smiling as she felt Dagur fingers glide in between the loose ends of the braids dangling before her left eye. “I hope your evening was as productive.”

“You have a fine man there, Tengan.” Frewin asserted as he bent low to plant a kiss atop Makara’s brow. “It took me several attempts to get the upper hand in the sparring ring. And with that Triple Stryke of his? Wavebreaker and I could hardly keep our own.” He grinned as he settled into an empty chair as if there was nothing more enjoyable than being bested by his daughter’s suitor in combat.

“Ah, so that’s why you were gone so long.” Makara mused with a sly grin. “When you mentioned sparring I hadn’t thought you meant on dragonback.”

Dagur grinned broadly as one arm lazily slid over Tengan’s shoulders. “No way would Sleuther and I ever miss the chance to spar with you, Pops. You’ve gotta show me how you did that twisting dive before you head back. Was it more like a-”

Tengan smiled and allowed herself to listen contentedly as the conversation buzzed around her. In that one, seemingly endless moment, the whole world seemed at peace. “I’m so glad you all were able to bond.” She admitted during an appropriate lull. “I know I should have explained more in my letter but I couldn’t chance it falling into the hands of the Fliers.”

“I will say.” Makara began with a nod towards Dagur. “I was surprised to see him, of all people, land on our Shores a couple weeks back. If I hadn’t remembered your letter explaining how he had redeemed himself and the new rise of the Berserkers he may not have survived beyond our beach.” Her tone was unwaveringly serious. “Even then, he was not the person I was expecting when you spoke of finding your partner.”

“Ouch, Ma. That really hurts.” Dagur teased lightly, his free hand coming up to his chest. “You’ve cut me to the core.”

“Oh hush child.” Makara scolded gently, a smile on her face. “But when he spoke of his love for you, and brought us news of our unborn grandchild, we knew you made a wonderful choice.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Tengan responded with a slight nod of her head. “When you say we… Father, were you already home?”

“Of course.” Frewin smiled and nodded. “Your mother sent for me when she received your last letter and I decided to wait and meet your betrothed. Like I said before, a talented warrior and a promising leader. I agree with Makara, you’ve chosen well.” He finished with a smile and nod towards Dagur.

“Wait.” Tengan added as she cocked her head to the side. “If that’s the case then why did it take you all the full three weeks to make it back? I’ve calculated the distance and it should have taken a week at most to get there, and that’s accounting for stealth flying and detours. Even if you rested a day or so, it should have taken just over two weeks to come back.”

Frewin, Makara, and Dagur all made very brief eye contact with one another before the trio broke into laughter. Frewin, having recovered the fastest, cleared his throat. “Well, you know how our people are. Once they learned who Dagur was; a dragon rider, betrothed of the chieftess’ daughter, a chief of a tribe we have little knowledge of, we’re lucky he’s not still sitting among a gaggle of scribes.”

Dagur nodded in agreement. “No one seemed to notice I kept trying to hint we had to leave soon and that you were waiting for me. They all insisted Sleuther show off his tails again, or I recite another Berserker drinking song, or-”

“And I take it you were having a wonderful time being the undivided center of attention.” Tengan cut across him with a knowing smirk.

“Maybe a little.” Dagur admitted quietly as he gently tugged her tighter against his side.

“Aye, the passion of our people runs deep.” Frewin nodded. “Speaking of which, Tengan, Dagur was telling us on our flight over that you have a private library for your discoveries. Any chance I could take a look while we’re here?”

Tengan’s face fell. “Yes, of course you may, it's just….” She took a deep breath. “There’s not going to be much to see, I’m afraid.” She forced a small, sad smile as she felt Dagur rest the hand not comfortingly squeezing her shoulder on her thigh.

“Little Scribe.” Makara called her daughter’s attention with a firm voice. “Do not for one moment think we are disappointed in you for the choice you had to make. Your suitor made it quite clear the choice you had when your base was under attack. What is our duty? Above all else?”

“To protect the knowledge we collect.” Tengan answered in a small voice. “But I failed at that Mother. Twice.”

“You have done no such thing.” Makara quickly responded, her voice still stern. “When your works were stolen, something that has happened to Custodians before you I will add, Dagur helped you hunt them down and take them back. When it became clear they would be used for evil once more, you made the difficult decision to prevent it.” She straightened in her chair, radiating all the authority of a chieftess and parent. “Listen close for this is my final lesson to you. Protecting the knowledge you collect does not mean preventing harm to a book or scroll, although it is a worthy ambition. To protect, is to ensure what you learn is shared with those who would use it to grow and better our world while ensuring those who would not are kept in the dark. You have done just that, and if you had decided to return to the Shimmering Shores I would have named you Custodian for your actions.”

“You should heed your mother’s lecture.” Frewin added with a small smile. “She’s wise beyond her years. Although I do not, even for a moment, believe that to be the last one you ever get from her. Take it from someone with experience in this area.”

This time, Dagur, Frewin and Tengan all burst into laughter as Maraka galred evenly at the trio. Struggling to keep her breath even, Tengan smiled up at Dagur for a moment, silently thanking him for the gift of her parents’ presence, before turning her attention once more to her father. “I think we have enough time to see the library before heading to bed.”


	28. ...Soar (2 of 2)

Once again I have been blessed with some amazing fanart for this tale that must be shared! I should let you all know that Baisley is solely responsible for keeping me on schedule. baisleyarts.tumblr.com is ALWAYS my go to for some much needed inspiration for these more free-form chapters. As always, thank you for reading and enjoy! We're nearing the end now. If everything goes as I have planned we only have two more chapters after this one.

It felt like only seconds had passed since she climbed into bed when Tengan felt herself being gently shaken. “Five more minutes, my love.” She cooed towards what she assumed to be Dagur, as she stubbornly kept her eyes glued shut.

“You’ve said that three times now.” Dagur chuckled into her ear as he gently coaxed her into a sitting position. “Both your parents are awake and I’ve brought food and your tea up. No more delays.”

Cracking one eye open, she grimaced at the sight of the steaming mug on the bedside table. “I was hoping you’d forget about the tea.” She groaned good naturedly before placing a long, slow kiss against his lips, one hand coming up to caress the uneven hairs of his beard. “I missed waking up to this.” She whispered as she finally opened both eyes to willingly lose herself in his emerald gaze.

His smile shifting to something almost feral, he chose to respond with a hungry kiss rather than anything verbal. One hand came up to cup her cheek while the other slid along the now familiar curve of her growing belly. “You aren’t the only one.” He groaned in her ear as he pulled away, a satisfied smirk spreading across his lips as he beheld her disheveled state. “Awake yet?” He teased as he passed her the mug of tea.

Rolling her eyes, Tengan nodded before draining the mug with a few long gulps, a technique she had discovered worked best to minimize the foul taste. “Yes I’m awake… are you ready for today?” She asked quietly, almost childlike joy lacing her voice.

Dagur giggled and bounced gently on the bed. “Am I ready to show everyone on the archipelago that I’m the luckiest man alive!? What do you think?” He teased, reaching out to gently tickle her sides.

“Ah no!” She squealed, fighting to keep her voice down so her parents wouldn’t overhear. “You keep this up and I won’t give you your journal!” She gasped through the giggles.

“You wound me baby.” Dagur sighed as he leaned back, hand over his heart dramatically. “But if the lady insists I must oblige.” Sliding off the bed he retrieved two bound journals from a back near the door. “Don’t be mad, but I got yours from the library so we could exchange them the moment you woke up. I haven’t peeked! I promise!” He passed her the smaller of the two which contained a hand drawn Skrill on the cover under her name. “So tradition states we go to separate places and read these before the ceremony right?” He asked tentatively, the idea clearly not settling well.

Tengan’s smile shifted from the book to her betrothed and back a few times before she decided to answer. “That is how things are usually done. However, our bed is much more comfortable with both of us here, and I’m still not ready to part with you so soon after getting you back.” She laughed as Dagur’s face lit up with excitement and relief as he plopped back onto the bed next to her, one arm looping behind her back to rest on her hip while the other dutifully opened his journal to the first page.

With matching smiles the couple dove into their books, the world slipping by unnoticed as they all but lost themselves in the numerous recollections they shared about one another. Dagur broke out into laughter as he read about how Tengan thought of him as equal parts attractive and annoying the first time they met. She in turn, gently teased him about how he thought she was beautiful the first time they met and he, in his desire to impress, had embellished a few stories of the Berserkers he had told her as they toured Berk. As they recounted the years they spent in opposition, it was clear they had at least a begrudging respect for one another. Dagur, in his writing, had again expressed his regret in how he had initially courted her through kidnapping and force and his utter relief he felt when she had forgiven him. As she read the passage where he described the beauty of the sunlight streaming through her hair the afternoon she and Rumble had flown with him and Shattermaster on The Edge, she reached over and squeezed her hand, her chest suddenly tight with emotion.

As the sun neared it’s apex, the pair finally closed their journals, both sets of eyes slightly misty. “I better see if I can find the girls.” Tengan said softly as she set her journal down gently atop her pillow. “Astrid should be almost done greeting the guests arriving from Berk and if we’re all not at Oga’s on time I fear the Riders will be short a couple members.”

Dagur chuckled as he set his journal down. Standing, he gathered Tengan’s hands in his own and gently helped her to her feet. Dipping his head, he planted a long kiss against her brow. “I’ll see you soon.” He murmured, the low volume of his voice failing to contain the excitement in his tone.

Tengan greeted her parents with tight hugs and promises to spend time together at the celebration before tracking down the other young women who would be part of the ceremony. Astrid and Heather had been relatively close by, directing guests towards the open air arena, and Ruffnut was already pestering Oga about the color clash between her white gown and the small bunches of daisies and rosebay the others were to hold. Despite the seamstress’s minor frustration in having to adjust the circlet to fit against Tengan’s new braids, the quartet managed to be fully dressed and presentable with a few minutes to go before the ceremony. Ruffnut, Astrid, and Heather all wore their usual attire but had accented themselves with sashes of the same white cloth of her gown and a flower crown alternating between the white and pale pink flowers that made up their small bouquets.

“There.” Oga grunted as she stepped back and wiped her brow after adjusting Tengan’s circlet for the fourth time. “You are all done. Now get out of my hut and I don’t want to see any of you back here again unless it’s for swaddling clothes!” She scolded the group good naturedly and ushered them quickly out of her hut. As she exited out behind the small procession and closed her door she glanced up at the sun. “You all better get a move on. The day is running late.”

With rushed but genuine thanks from all except Ruffnut, who’s mouth had to be clamped shut as she attempted to sneak in one final critique, the young women bustled towards the arena as quickly as Tengan could while holding up the hem of her gown. As they neared the stone wall semi-circle of the island’s main arena, the buzz of excited conversation mixed with the unmistakable aroma of what must have been hundreds of fresh flowers wafted towards them. “Heather.” Tengan whispered, her heart fluttering madly with anticipation. “Would you mind taking a quick glance inside and seeing if they’re ready for us?”

Heather quickly darted her head around the corner before retreating to give the others a smile and a thumbs up. “Everyone’s in place. Let’s go.”

Tengan swallowed heavily as Heather, Astrid, and Ruffnut took their places in a single file line behind her. WIth a heavy, steadying breath, she braced herself and marched forward into the arena. As they rounded the corner, she was momentarily stunned as it appeared they had been transported to another island.

Large bunches of white flowers decorated the walls of the arena, connected with beige fabric runners. All of the tables had been pushed to the sides and were already laden with steaming plates of honeyed cakes, steamed vegetables, and whole roasted boars. Barrels upon barrels of mead and ale were stacked up alongside the tables, waiting to be cracked open. All the benches were currently placed in rows, with a single aisle left open in the center for the advancing women. Crowding the benches seemed to be every viking Tengan had ever met. Nearly half of the village of Berk, certainly all those capable of riding on dragonback sat in a large cluster. Near them were several Wingmaidens, including Atali and Minden. Queen Mala, Throck and several guards from Caldera Cay were also in attendance, surrounded by every last Berserker residing within the shores of the island. Sitting in the front row, beaming from ear to ear, were Frewin and Makara.

Letting her eyes track up to the stage, she fought to hide a gasp. Baskets of the same white flowers lined the edge of the stage. White and beige pennants and banners stretched across the back of the stage, hiding the monochrome grey of the stone wall. Standing atop it, all the male riders were lined up from the right edge of the stage towards the center, their armor cleaned till it shone. In the center, Stoick stood holding a long and narrow white cloth. Standing before him, Dagur all but commanded her attention. He wore what looked to be a variation of his usual armor, only all the leather had been dyed white and the metal accents, crafted from Gronckle Iron, shone brightly in the afternoon sun. Atop his brow sat a twin of the braided circlet she wore. 

Grinning, Tengan approached the stage and climbed up using a newly crafted staircase, a well appreciated addition Heather probably all but demanded due to her rapidly expanding womb. She was completely oblivious to the gasps and whispers that followed as she passed, her eyes, and thoughts fixated on the all but glowing man before her. The one person in this world she grew to love before all others and was about to make clear to all in attendance that she had chosen him to remain by her side for the rest of their lives.

As all the women settled into their places, Stoick held the cloth aloft and waited for the excited murmurs of the crowd to pitter out. “It is my duty and pleasure,” The chief began in his warm, gruff voice. “To join these two in union today. Tegan, Dagur, please join hands.” 

Extending her left hand, she smiled as it was nearly eclipsed by his right. She could feel the warmth flooding to her from him with each heartbeat and the mild tremors in his limb. Squeezing ever so slightly, she hoped he understood she also felt that same mix of excitement and nervousness that seemed to radiate off his face.

Gently, Stoick raped the cloth over their hands and began to wind it around them. “This bond represents your tie to one another. Now and forever, in this world and, Thor willing, in the halls of Valhalla. Nothing can ever break this bond as long as you two remain true to each other.” As he finished binding their hands, he turned to Hiccup, who hastily retrieved a gold goblet full of a pleasantly sweet smelling, yellow liquid. “Take this goblet and drink heartily from it. May your cup always run over and all your days be as sweet as the mead inside.”

Carefully, the couple grasped the goblet with their free hands, coming closer together. With unspoken agreement, they tipped the goblet to Tengan’s lips first, allowing her to take two long daughts. The goblet still more than half full, they maneuvered it towards Dagur, who quickly and easily drained the rest. Together, they raised the goblet towards the waiting crowd before passing it back to Stoick.

The roar that rose from the stands had barely begun when the celebrating vikings were prematurely halted as Stoick raised his hand. “My friends, while this union has been recognized by Odin and his mighty hall in Valhalla, the rites have not been completed just yet.” Smiling he gestured, open palmed to the dark woman sitting in the front row. “Makara, would you be willing to oversee the union of these two as a representative of the Shimmering Shores?”

“It would be my honor.” Makara answered loud and clear for all to hear. As she stood, she produced a large, worn, and clearly well maintained book from under a fold in her shawl. Climbing up onto the stage, she bowed her head to Stoick before taking his place between the bound couple.

Tengan’s eyes widened at the sight of her people’s Book of Records. It was rarely allowed off the island and only then for moments deemed important for their history. Typically those who were bonded off the Shores made a point to have their ceremony added later. Twisting her head ever so slightly, she managed to catch Dagur’s eyes as her own betrayed the shock she was feeling. His warm grin answered her unasked question; he had known about the book’s presence and Makara’s intent.

“Thank you Stoick.” The chieftess inclined her head once more before turning her attention to the gathered group. “For those of you who do not know, on the Shimmering Shores, it is custom when two people promise themselves to each other that their union is recorded before the acting chief on the island so that any who wish to can see the evidence of their devotion to one another.” Using both hands, she held the book aloft. “I hold in my hands the records of nearly one thousand unions going back to the birth of my people as more than a wandering tribe. As knowledge seekers and keepers. This book is one of our most prized possessions and has only been allowed off our shores a handful of times.” She paused, allowing the weight of her explanation to sink in.

“During those instances, it was deemed by the council imperative that as many people as possible witness these unions as they were known to be at important moments in our history. The bond between Dagur and Tengan has been recognized as such. Their love has blossomed during a momentous age. Dragons and Vikings, once locked in a bitter war, now see each other as partners and friends. Through that partnership, new friendships and alliances were born, all with one thing in common: the desire to protect the magnificent creatures we have come to see as family. The love these two have shown for one another is but one facet of the bond I see between those sitting before us and the mighty creatures watching over us from atop the cliff.” She paused again as she opened the leather tome to the most recent page. “For this reason, it has been decided that this union, and this momentous point in all our histories will be preserved for all who wish to bear witness to it, now and in the future.” She brandished the open page to the audience before holding it up for Dagur to read. “My son, would you please read aloud your passage and sign?”

Dagur, still grinning, nodded and cleared his throat. “I, Dagur the Deranged, son of Oswald the Agreeable, high chief of the Berserker tribe, Dragon Rider and proven warrior, have pledged my love and devotion to my betrothed, Tengan. From this day forward, I swear to defend, support, and protect her and any children we bear. Any new discoveries I find will be shared with her and passed on to said children. I formally acknowledge and accept the role of Scribe from the people of the Shimmering Shores. I will honor the title and all it entails.” Taking the offered, ink laden quill, he signed on the blank bit of space under his name. 

Smiling, Makara shifted the book so Tengan could have a better view of her own passage. “And now you, daughter.”

Head and heart still spinning at the notion of her union being worthy of removing the Book of Record from its resting place, she had to take several quick breaths before she could speak her passage clearly enough. “I Tengan, daughter of Makara, Scribe of the Shimmering Shores, Dragon Rider and proven warrior, have pledged my love and devotion to my betrothed, Dagur. From this day forward, I swear to defend, support, and protect him and any children we bear. Any new discoveries I find will be shared with him and passed on to said children. I formally acknowledge and accept the role of chieftess of the Berserker tribe. I will honor the title and all it entails.” Her hand slightly trembling, she took the quill from Dagur and signed in her allotted space.

Smiling warmly at both of them, Makara hoisted the open journal high above her head once more and presented it to the crowd. “May you all remember this day and what this union symbolizes for us all!”

The crowd began to stomp, cheer, and roar with uncontrollable force as they jumped to their feet. Every face in the crowd seemed to be determined to outdo those around them as the cheers reached an ungodly crescendo. Despite the clamor, the noise never seemed to reach the happy couple in the center of it all. Tengan and Dagur stood quietly, smiling at one another. Their unbound hands reflexively reached out and intertwined as the world carried on around them. They didn’t even notice the cheers had somehow managed to double in volume and intensity as their lips met in a tender kiss.

In a whirlwind of activity neither of the couple could clearly remember the following day, several long tables laden with heavy dishes were shifted away from the walls and all the benches that onced faced the stage were dragged over to the tables. The smallest of the tables, decorated with a runner of silver cloth and fresh flowers, was placed atop the stage. Several benches were quickly placed so that Dagur, Tengan, Stoick, Makara, Frewin, and the Dragon Riders could all sit and look out over the festivities. A large patch of earth just below the stage was left empty as a cluster of musicians bustled to their places at its edge. 

Dagur gently pulled their bound hands up to his face and pressed his lips against Tengan’s knuckles as his free hand deftly snatched a goblet of wine off the table and held it aloft. “Berserkers! Tonight, let us show our guests the meaning of celebration!” Grinning at the resounding roar of approval, he tipped half the contents of the goblet back into his mouth before gently angling it so Tengan could manage a sip without staining her gown.

“You think I would have learned by now not to underestimate the Berserker style of celebration.” Tengan laughed from her seat at the center of the table as she watched a foot soldier bodily throw his dance partner several feet into the air before catching her. The woman seemed quite pleased to have been thrown nearly twice as high as any of the other dancers. “Has anyone ever been dropped?”

“Once or twice.They always walked it off.” Dagur answered with a grin as he tore off a strip of smoked boar meat from the carcass placed on the large platter sitting in front of them. “You haven’t had enough to eat yet.” He cooed as he held the strip of meat up to her lips.

Tengan gently took the offered strip, her lips closing on his fingertips for half a second as she tongued the fat. “As delicious as the boar is.” She murmured past her full mouth. “If this keeps up I’ll be too full to dance later.”

Dagur grinned as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Can’t help it baby. Just want to make sure my two best girls are taken care of.”

“Oh? So you’re convinced it’s a girl today? I recall you whispering to the child last night that he was going to be a mighty chief one day.” She playfully cocked an eyebrow.

“In my defense, I thought you were asleep.” He countered. “But today, I just have this feeling she’s going to be a magnificent warrior!”

“Well I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” She replied patiently. “Either way, he or she is going to have an amazing father.”

“If you two lovebirds can stand to look away from each other for one moment.” Astrid taunted as she gestured to the now emptying dance flow below. “I think you’ll want to see this.”

Standing alone in the clearing and looking as if he wasn’t entirely sure how anyone convinced him to be there, Fishlegs stood, glancing between the waiting crowd and his comrades still seated comfortably on their high table. “Well, uh, Makara brought up an excellent point in her speech earlier.” The nervous young man began, his posture only relaxing as his eyes locked onto Heather’s smiling face. “Dagur and Tengan’s union is partly due to our love of dragons. So we, that is the Riders, though it would be best if they were able to congratulate the couple as well.” As he finished, he pointed straight up towards the now pink and purple evening sky. 

As if on cue, Toothless let out a loud roar as he and Hiccup flew high overhead. Following, in a beautiful, riderless diamond formation, were Shattermaster, Sleuther, Rumble, Windshear, Meatlug, Stormfly, Hookfang, and Barf and Belch. For several minutes, the dragons splintered off and came back together as they dove, twisted, breathed fire, and, for all intents and purposes, danced in the fading sunlight. IT was hard to tell who was enjoying the show more; the dragon or the vikings watching them. Many of the Berserkers on attendance had never seen the stunning creatures utilized for anything other than war; their slack jawed wonder at the complex acrobatics all but promised a spark of newfound inspiration and respect for the dragons. As the show concluded with a perfectly timed blast from all nine dragons that collided midair before cascading down towards the crown in a flurry of glowing sparks, the resulting cheers drowned out the satisfied roars of the performers.

“Well done brother!” Dagur congratulated a bit later as Hiccup rejoined them. “I didn’t even see you leave the table!”

“I’m not too surprised.” The one-legged viking responded as he slipped a hand over Astrid’s. “I’ve been told I lose track of time when I’m focused on something… or someone important to me.”

“Enough will all this lovey-dovey talk.” Tuffnut cut in as he threw an arm over Hiccup’s shoulder and stared at the couple of the hour. “As cool as being up on a stage is, you know how much I love being the center of attention. When are we going to, you know, party! I want, no, NEED to dance!”

“Nut’s right.” Snotlout shrugged as she shouldered his way into the conversation. “And I happen to know for a fact that Minden is waiting for me.” Wiggling his eyebrows, he cast a smirk and quickly waved down at a nearby table where the aforementioned wing maiden sat. 

Tengan, who’s eyes had followed the motion, was surprised to see that all the maidens in attendance had their baby Razorwhips still happily clinging to their backs. Her fingers momentarily itched to grab at a notebook or a scroll to jot down her findings. Why were the infantile dragons immune to whatever drove the adults insane? Her thoughts were quickly interrupted as Dagur placed his free hand over her shoulder.

“What do you say, baby? Ready to show the others how a real Berserker couple dance?” He grinned down at her, eyes sparking with mischief.

How could she have ever said no to that face? With a silent nod, the entire group stationed at the high table stood, everyone giving the couple of honor plenty of space to maneuver. The group quickly made their way to the floor, accompanied by the encouraging cheers of everyone in attendance. As Tengan settled herself in the center of the floor opposite Dagur, she quickly glanced around to make sure everyone else was ready. 

Snotlout hadn’t boasted, he and Minden were already ready to dance, their eyes focused intently on one another. Frewin and Makara were close to Astrid and Hiccup, both couples looking extremely content as they waited on the band. Fishlegs seemed to be almost trembling as he gently took hold of Heather’s hands. Ruffnut managed to snag Throck as he stook to allow Queen Mala to join Stoick and Tuffnut, of course, held Chicken aloft in front of him, his eyes already misty with emotion.

As the band struck up the first few notes of a low, sweeping song, all else melted away as Tengan gazed into Dagur’s eyes and they began to dance. Their feet moved fluidly, their bodies so close together that several times the front of his dazzling armor brushed against her rounded belly. After a while the music seemed to fade away and the entire world once again became his face, the upturn of his lips in that heart-melting gentle smile, the ever so slight creases around his eyes as a grin broke out over his features. As their movements continued, she found herself half twirling as they pulled apart, their arms stretching outward as if they were each a wing on the same bird. A gentle tug on their bound hands signaled the apex of their movement and the couple came back together once more, their chests rising and falling in unison. “I love you, Dagur.” She whispered up to him, her heart fuller than she could ever remember. “With all I have in me.”

Soon the slow, gentle tune faded as another, high energy song took its place. Other couples at the fringe of the floor took the cue to join in and soon the dance floor was packed with celebrating vikings. Tengan lasted another couple songs before her sore back and aching muscles begged her to retire to their table. She only needed to give Dagur a small, pleading glance before they made their way back to their seats atop the stage.

“Do you need anything?” He asked, a slightly urgent edge to his voice as he looked her over for any injuries.

“Just to rest and be near you for a while.” She smiled back as she settled her back against his side and watched the celebration unfold around them. “I still can’t believe you and Heather managed to pull all this together in three weeks. It’s amazing, my love.”

Dagur smiled and placed a kiss atop her brow. “I’ve told you before. Berserkers always go all out. All the time.”

Tengan’s smile widened. “If our child inherits half of your passion and drive, nothing in the world will ever be able to stop them.”

“And if they also have half of your brains, they’ll be an unstoppable force over the entire archipelago.” He countered playfully.

“May the stars help us.” Tengan laughed as she settled in to watch the celebration rage on. 

At one point Gobber, face bright red from countless goblets of ale, had started dancing atop one of the tables, leaving several vikings under him to snatch their food and drink out from under him, lest they end up with a foot on their mitton or a peg-leg in their mead. Later on the Wingmaidens took to the air and half danced-half flew in formation above the others, to the cheers of the crowd below. Gustav went sailing over the crowd several times as the much larger vikings he annoyed had a tendency to bodily throw the offending boy away from them. Stoick, his booming voice echoing over the rock walls, hefted a bench balancing Maraka and Mala over his head as Frewing nearly doubled over in laughter at the sight.

As the sun slipped below the horizon, the celebration continued just as strongly. Several small fires and torches were lit along the hall, the wild, long, and flickering shadows of the dancers adding an otherworldly layer to the festivities. Through the gloom, Frewin and Maraka climbed back onto the stage and approached the couple. “We have a gift for you Little Scribe, well for both of you.” Makara said, a wide, motherly smile on her face.

With a flourish, Frewin produced an old, leather book and placed it gently on the table between them. “Do not open it here.” He said quickie as Tengan and Dagur both reached for it with their free hands. “This journal contains all the small moments we’ve had with you Tengan since the day of your birth. We’ve updated it less frequently as you’ve aged but there are entries as recent as a month ago. Last night, we finished with a final entry listing our hopes and dreams for the two of you in the upcoming years. May it answer some of the many questions you may have when your little one joins you and bring you comfort should you miss us.”

Tengan could hardly see her parents through her sudden tears. She was immensely grateful Dagur managed to lead her around the table so the four could embrace. They stood, clinging to each other for a long while. She was aware Dagur seemed to be clinging to Frein with almost desperate strength, and felt a bitter smile tugging at her lips. It had been a while and would be a while still before he could experience a hug from a fatherly figure.

Makara and Frewin had barely descended back into the fray when a beaming, breathless Heather clambered back up to join them.“Whew! You two had it right to sit down for a bit.” She said through heavy breaths as she plopped down onto an empty spot of bench next to Dagur. “Did you see Tuffnut? He somehow convinced several of our soldiers to form a human pyramid. He made it halfway up the stack before Snotlout kicked one of the lower guys in the shins.”

“So THAT'S why he was screaming before!” Tengan replied with a grin.”

“That was Snotpocket?” Dagur added with a snort. “I thought one of the Wingmaidens spilled a horn of mead on themselves.”

“Snotlout has always had an impressive vocal range.” Hiccup added as he plopped down next to Tengan. “When we were little, Astrid got after him after he broke one of her toy axes. His scream cracked several of Gothi’s jars up in her hut.” As the laughter settled back down, he smiled over at the happy couple. “As crazy as this was to put together, it was nice.”

“Just nice, Brother?” Dagur quickly cut in, one eyebrow cocked. “I mean, just nice would have been three boars and a handfasting. It’s not like I flew for days on end well beyond any of our maps to track down Tengan’s parents or anything.”

“Alright, alright. This was the best Union Ceremony I’ve ever seen.” HIccup conceded good naturedly. “And probably will ever see.”

“That’s better.” Heather responded, her hands crossed over her chest. “My brother wasn’t the only one who put his blood, sweat, and tears into this event.”

Tengan flinched and gave the siblings a sheepish smile. “You both know how much I appreciate you, right?”

Dagur smiled down at her. “Never doubted it for a second.” Dipping his head, he captured her lips in a quick kiss, causing Heather and Hiccup to hastily glance away.

“Well,” Hiccup began again after the couple broke apart. “I don’t think the others will be too happy to leave tomorrow. We’re behind on patrol flights as it is and I don’t like not knowing what Viggo is up to…..” He sighed heavily, his expression darkening for a moment before his tentative smile returned. “At least we know we can count on three of the toughest Berserkers either side of the Archipelago should the Fliers or Viggo give us any trouble finding the King of Dragons.”

Tengan shared a knowing smirk with Heather and Dagur, knowing they were all thinking along the same lines. As if anything in this world or next could ever stop the three of them from rising to that challenge. They were Berserkers after all.


	29. In Defense of a King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next and final chapter should be up next week! Thanks for sticking with Tengan this long. It's been a fun journey and I'll be sad to see her go.

“Let me know when you give up.” Dagur taunted lightly as he sat across the room, one leg propped up over the other and his head resting on his palm. 

“Never.” Tengan hissed back as she struggled to get her feet under her for another attempt. While settling into the long, cushioned bench in the main room of their house had been easy, getting up proved to be a monumental challenge. It seemed the growth of their child had reached an exponential rate, every morning she swore her stomach was a bit larger than the night before. If the near constant kicking and stretching were any indication, it seemed almost as if the baby had grown impatient in the last couple months and was determined to make its appearance sooner than nature intended.

Not that either parent actually minded, of course. Dagur seemed to have developed a second sense for when the child would kick or move and was always there, palm over Tengan’s belly and a wide, lopsided grin on his face. Even during the long hours she spent shut up in the library, alternating between meticulously recreating every scrap of knowledge she would recall and transcribing more of Oswald’s many papers, Dagur would always manage to check in on her moments before the child began another series of acrobatics. The pair often joked the infant was determined to prove how strong a Berserker they are to their father.

“It’s bad enough the Riders left us behind after I was the one who discovered the possibility of a dragon eye in your father’s papers.” She grunted as she collapsed back into the sloped chair again, her chest slightly heaving. “Now our furniture conspires against me.”

Dagur chuckled and stood, crossing the space between them with two easy strides. He smiled sympathetically, holding his hands out. “Let me help you.” He suggested gently. “I know you’ll want to check over the medical supplies before the ship leaves and the sooner they can leave-”

“The sooner they’ll reach Berk, and more importantly, Stoick.” Tengan finished as she folded her hands in his, accepting her loss against the seat for now. Stoick’s recent fall and current battle for his life after a vicious attack from a small group of Fliers took precedence over her stubborn independence. “Dagur, my love, I think we might have to consider taking a page from Hiccup’s book.” She paused to plant a small kiss of thanks on his lips. “You, me, and Heather are the only three on this island capable of flying on dragon back. This medicine could get to Berk in less than two days if we also had Auxiliary Riders.”

“You have a point.” He mused as he shifted to nudge their front door open without relinquishing his hold on her arm. “It is rather tiresome to have to fly supplies back and forth myself. As chief, I have a few other things I’d rather be focusing on.” With a smile, he planted a series of quick kisses on Tengan’s neck while his free hand gently caressed her rounded belly just in time to feel a sharp kick. “Ha! You see? Our son agrees with me!”

“So today it’s a boy?” Tengan teased as she bit back giggles from the ticklish sensation of the wild tangles of his beard. “Last night you were telling me all about how our daughter is going to have a hard time finding any suitors worthy of her.”

“My argument stands whether we have a son or a daughter.” Dagur responded with a light huff. “No one will be good enough for our first born. I mean, they’ll be carrying on a powerful legacy. High chief and chieftess of the Berserker tribe, Scribes of the Shimmering Shores and, if I may add, two of the best Dragon Riders the archipelago has ever seen.”

The pair continued to banter playfully as they headed downhill towards the docks, their conversation only shifting away from the impending addition to the family once Heater joined them. The trio mused over the surprisingly unequal distribution of “excitement” between the Berserkers and Dragon Riders as of late. In a couple short months, through infrequent visits and sparse letters, they learned that Ruffnut had been temporarily been anointed as a Wingmaiden, an Armorwing had a dragon eye lens fused to its body, Viggo’s betrayal of the Hunters and his subsequent death at the hands of his own hubris, and of a Death Song trap to lure in dragons for the Hunters to sell, just to name a few. 

After a quick final check of the medical supplies being shipped off to Berk, they decided to spend the quiet afternoon up at the stables. It had been some time since any of the dragons had enjoyed a detailed grooming and they certainly had the time to dedicate to it. The nearly cloudless sky and warmer weather seemed to agree; it was a nearly perfect day to sit back and catch up on minute chores and obligations.

“Yes, of course, a perfect day of peace and quiet. Everyone in their right place, doing what they do best, proudly for the Berserker name.” Dagur added as the trio began the long, slow ascent towards the stables. “I gotta say, I’m bored as hell.” He added with a small smile towards Tengan and Heather.

“I have to agree.” Tengan responded with a sigh. “As nice as it has been to rest, I can’t help but miss the action we used to see with the Riders.”

“Come off it you two.” Heather scolded playfully. “In a week or so you’ll be busier than you can possibly imagine.”

“Not if Auntie Heather agrees to take the little one from time to time so I can sleep... like she promised.” Tengan teased. “Besides, a week is a long time to be bored.”

A long, low horn reverberated from the docks, freezing the trio in their tracks. As they turned to face the commotion, far off on the horizon, several large smudges could barely be seen.

“Incoming ships? Were either of you expecting company?” Dagur asked the young women with him as he squinted his eyes to get a better look. “I don’t have any guests on my calendar.”

“No. Gothi is expecting a shipment of herbs and ointments from us, she knows not to send anyone.” Tengan answered as she shielded her eyes from the sun. “And those ships are far too large to be from my people.”

Heather frowned as she retrieved a large spyglass and pressed it to her eye. “It looks like these are uninvited guests. Take a look, brother.” She passed the spyglass off, her face lined with a mixture of worry and anticipation.

“Dragon Hunters.” Dagur spat as he passed the spyglass to Tengan and gripped his axe. “Looks like I won’t be bored today after all.” Grinning, he nodded as Heather began to prep her double-handed axe. The smile faded completely from his face as he caught sight of Tengan unsheathing her sword. “No way. You’re heading either to our hut or up to the stables.”

Tengan snarled back as she pressed the spyglass back into Heather’s chest with a little too much force. Her anger flared, and the world around her momentarily glowed as red as her partner’s hair. “Don’t you dare try to send me off!” She roared over the reverberating call of horns as the warriors around them began to scramble to their positions. “Heavy with child or not, this is my home. THESE are my people. I am a Berserker and will defend them at your side.”

Dagur’s grip on his axe slackened as his expressions rapidly morphed form shock, to frustration, to finally, a love-sick grin. “Have I ever told you how much I love you?”

Tengan grinned back, her teeth bared and her eyes hard, well aware Heather was rolling her eyes at the display off to her left. “Every day, my love. Now, how about we get ready to remind these intruders why no one dares to invade Berserker Isle?”

“Sir! Fliers and ships approaching!” One of the guards,a younger man already riddled with old burns and battle scars along his arms called over to Dagur. “What are your orders?”

Dagur stepped forward, his fierce gaze set on the approaching threat. “Train your catapults and arrows on the ships BEHIND the fliers, and wait for my signal!” 

“Are you insane?!” The younger man hollered back even as he hastened to obey the chief's command.

“That’s already been established.” Dagur snapped back as he spared the warrior a quick glare. “JUST TRUST ME!” He roared at the bewildered cluster of men, squashing any further arguments.

“What do you think this is about?” Heather murmured quietly to Tengan and Dagur as she crouched into a readying position, her axe held almost to her chest.

“I hope I’m wrong.” Tengan murmured back as she widened her combat stance to make room for her large stomach. “But it seems there might be something on our island that may lead them to the King of Dragons. Hiccup’s last letter mentioned the Riders were close to cracking the code and that the Fliers weren’t far behind them.”

“If that’s the case, then where are Hiccup and the others?” Heather hissed as the Singetails approached, the sunlight glittering of their emerald hides. 

“He’ll be here.” Dagur asserted to the young women as a cat-like smile spread across his face. “Brother’s always half a step ahead of them. Until then we’ll have to handle these interlopers….. Comeon Krogan.” He urged under his breath, just loud enough for the others to hear him. “You know you want some of this.” He swayed back and forth on the balls of his feet, the image of a large hunting cat waiting to ambush its prey from a patch of tall grass. “Bring it in for the real thing, big boy.”

Tengan, despite her trepidation, couldn’t help but grin. Her bonded partner’s love of battle was always highly contagious. She never thought she’d grow to love her swordplay nearly as much as the written word, but it was damned near impossible not to when Dagur made the whole event so alluring. 

As the Singetails passed by the closest set of sea stacks, her eyes widened with mild surprise as the dragons began to balk and buck as they veered sharply away from the shore. “Of course!” She gasped. “How could I have forgotten?”

“Really, baby?” Dagur teased. “I have to say I’m disappointed.” With a wink, he turned slightly to face the men stationed at the catapults. “NOW! FIRE!”

The twang of taunt ropes being cut free filled the air as the men, momentarily dumbstruck at the helpless armada of dragons before them, sprang into action. Flaming boulders, flanked by whistling arrows soared past the panicking dragons to find their marks among the now unprotected ships below them. The sharp crack of breaking wood, followed by the anguished howls of men pierced by arrows rose into the air.

Abandoning their ships and their frontal assault, the Fliers, lead by a visibly frustrated Krogan, began to climb sharply towards the mountain peak of the island, apparently determined to fly over whatever was affecting their mounts than through it.

“Daugr!” Heather gasped as she watched the Fliers slip out of bow range. “If they manage to get directly above us, we’ll be sitting ducks! They'll destroy everything!”

“They won’t.” Was the chief’s mild response as he split his attention between the sinking armada before him and the large group of Singetails now almost directly above him.

“My love, how do you know this?” Tengan responded with a mild edge of concern in her voice. All it would take was one volley of fireballs from the dragons and the Berserkers would be forced into abandoning the island.

A familiar, growing crescendo of a roar began building in the distance. Smiling, Dagur pointed up, directly towards the Sun and the source of the noise. “Because, like I said, Brother is always half a step ahead of them.”

The trio craned their necks and watched with a mixture of joy and relief as Toothless, flanked by the Riders and an additional Nadder, dove out from the cover of the Sun. In quick succession, the Riders dispatched nearly half of the Flier’s force, the unseated vikings tumbling endlessly towards the rocky shores below. Those who managed to maintain control of their dragons turned and fled back towards the cover of their retreating, un-burned ships, leaving Krogan and his alpha Singetail surrounded by the Riders. After a tense moment, he too turned and fled, leading the meager remains of his force away from Berserker Isle.

Tengan joined the other Berserkers in a loud cheer as the Riders dipped as low as their dragons would allow before angling off towards the cliff-top stables. “How could you have possibly known that would happen?” She asked Dagur, face full of awe as the trio began the long walk up the path to meet their very much appreciated guests.

“Seriously, brother. That was an amazing bit of strategy.” Heather added with a playful punch to his shoulder.

“Honestly?” Dagur grinned at the pair. “I had no idea. Just a hunch really. Hiccup’s always in the right place at the right time.” Laughing at their looks of utter shock, he offered his arm to Tengan. “Come on. We’ve got a bit of a climb and something tells me Brother isn’t likely to be patient today.”

It was a bittersweet reunion for Tengan, seeing the friends she had so recently parted with gathered around the stable. Spitelout and Mala’s presence seemed particularly strange, until the Riders filled the Berserkers in on their latest discoveries through short, quick sentences. “So you were sent to bring Hiccup back to Berk to take over as acting chief while Stoick is… recovering.” She added delicately as she nodded towards Spitelout. “But you all decided to divert and check on Dramillion Island when the lenses showed it to be the home of the King of Dragons?”

“But it actually wasn’t!” Fishlegs piped in excitedly, his hands clasped around Heather’s. “The titan-wing Dramillion’s fire was the last piece of the puzzle. We would have been here sooner but the Flier’s nearly killed it and we had to get it to Queen Mala. You see-”

“I still don’t understand what this has to do with our home.” Heather interrupted gently as she smiled at Fishlegs. “Why have we been attacked? I thought they were looking for the King of Dragons?”

Hiccup, who had been silently observing the island through a spyglass, abruptly turned to face the group. “They are. The map says it lives here. And…” He sighed. “I’m guessing it’s beneath the island. That’s why dragons can’t fly here.”

“It’s a defense mechanism.” Fishlegs added quietly.

Tengan, who had been leaning heavily against Rumble’s side in an attempt to regain some of the energy she lost in the climb up, suddenly launched forward, her eyes wide. “Its mind control abilities.” She gasped. “It’s been deflecting any dragon that flies too close. Even dozens of them at once… This dragon is extremely powerful.”

“Exactly.” Astrid added with a savage nod. “No wonder Krogan and Johann want it so badly. They could conceivably control every dragon on the archipelago.”

Dagur grinned, his eyes flashing dangerously. “The King of Dragons is a Berserker!” He let out a quick bark of laughter. “It makes perfect sense to me! I mean, what else would he be? Tengan!” He turned on her, his excitement bubbling over. “We have to make sure a scroll gets to Makara! This should be recorded for all to know!” 

“While I am all for the preservation of knowledge,” Mala interrupted, a stained edge to her voice “That might have to wait. It looks like a second fleet of ships is approaching from the south side of the island.”

The group rushed over to the cliff edge and huddled together as they watched several groups of men disembark on the distant shore. As they began to charge towards the village, a second set of ships began their approach from the north, picking their way through the scattered remains of their first attempt as they sailed into the harbor.

Tengan’s eyes widened in horror at the display below. As the ships in the north fired volley after volley over the village’s wall, the foot soldiers from the south smashed through anything that came across their path. Cries of rage, pain, and anger rose to the cliffs as the Berserkers fought back. “No!” She cried out weakly as one of the homes near the edge of the settlement went up in flames.

“Those are out people down there!” Dagur roared in rage as he unsheathed his axe and made quick, meaningful eye contact with Tengan and Heather. “We have to do something.”

Heather turned to the Riders, a feral snarl on her face. “We’d rather die in battle than hide in shame.”

Tengan readied her sword as well, her face set as several conflicting thoughts and emotions rushed through her. In an instant, they all vanished, leaving her with a single conclusion; she would not bring her child into a world full of fear. Either they would succeed, or she would have to make peace with meeting the babe in her next life. “This ends today.”

“No one's hiding!” Hiccup interjected, his eyes widening with worry as he caught their meaning. “And we’re not staying here. But our chances of surviving without dragons is very slim!” His eyes flicked quickly to Tengan before he settled his gaze on Dagur. “We need to stay calm.”

“No.” Dagur countered as she stormed over to Hiccup. “We need to stay STRONG. We need to fight.”

It seemed the two were ready to quite literally butt heads when a high pitched, keening roar broke the tension. Their eyes drawn skyward, the group watched at Atali, flanked by a small group of Wingmaidens, dove past the group and towards the carnage below.

“Of course!” Tengan cried out in relief. “The baby Razorwhips! They were able to attend our ceremony. They’re not affected by the King of Dragons for some reason!” She grinned as, with the help of the Wingmaidens, the battle began to turn in favor of the Berserkers.

“I sent a Terror Mail when we were on Cladera Cay.” Hiccup explained, his voice light. “Wasn’t sure it would make it in time so I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up.”

“Maybe now that the babies have gotten through, we might have a window for our dragons.” Dagur piped in hopefully. 

“It’s worth a shot.” Hiccup agreed. “You all see what you can do, Toothless and I will use the distraction to try to find the King before Johann or Krogan can.”

With quick murmurs of agreement, the group, minus Hiccup, ran to their dragons and mounted up. After a brief discussion, it was decided Mala would partner with Shattermaster as long as she maintained a position in the center of their formation to compensate for her little experience fighting on dragon back and the poor Gronkle’s disability. With a clashing chorus of determined battle cries, they took to the air in tight formation, angling towards the clamor of battle below them.

“Dagur, Heather, Ruff and Tuff, engage with the Wingmaidens!” Astrid called out from the front of their group. “They need the backup. Full frontal attack!” 

“Nothing like a full frontal attack to get the day rolling!” Tuffnut grinned as he cracked his knuckles and settled into a low crouch in the saddle.

“I couldn’t agree more!” Heather added, a savage grin stretching across her face. “Are you ready, Brother?”

“Those are my people too, Astrid!” Tengan added urgently. “I should be going with them.”

“No.” The blond added quickly, her tone unwavering. “I need you with me.”

“We’ll be back before you know it.” Dagur added with a soothing smile. Before she could counter, he loosed a wild, Berserker cry that was quickly picked up by Heather and the twins as their dragons dipped into a steep dive.

“Snotlout, take your father and outflank them on the northern side.” Astrid continued. “Then squeeze, got it?”

“Oh we’ll squeeze 'em alright.” Snotlout grinned, slamming his fist into his open palm.

“Like a ripe tomato under me armpit!” Spitelout added as he and his son peeled off from the group.

“Fishlegs, Mala, Tengan, you’re with me.” Astrid commanded the remainder of the group as she veered away from the center of the fighting.

Tengan glanced back and forth between Stormfly’s retreating back and the black and yellow blur of Sleuther down below. She could feel the reluctance to pull away flowing from Rumble as well and knew that if she urged him to dive, he would obey. Groaning under her breath in frustration, she forced her attention on Astrid and urged the Skrill to follow. “What’s the plan?” She shouted after catching up, struggling to hide her annoyance at being separated from her family.

“Those boats can’t be allowed to drip off any more soldiers!” Astrid hollered over her shoulder as they swung out towards the docks. “We need to take out as many as possible.”

Tengan nodded. “It may be best if we split into pairs. You and Fishlegs can take the ones to the east. Mala and I will take the ones to the west. I know which maneuvers Shattermaster can use safely.”

“Agreed.” Astrid nodded as she and Fishlegs began to bank to the left.

“Mala!” Tengan cried out as she slowed to allow the Gronckle to catch up. “I’m sure you’ve noticed but Shattermaster had a broken right wing. It’s healed but doesn’t work as well as it used to.”

“I had. What did you have in mind?” The queen nodded in deference to the younger ruler.

“He can’t pick up speed as easily but his tail is still a powerful bludgeon.” Glancing down, she pointed at the lead ship on their side. “We’ll come at them from a dive. Rumble and I will lay down cover fire. Once we’re low enough you’ll lay as flat on his back as possible and ask him to do a ‘Shatter Scatter’. Hold on tight and lay flat. He’ll flip over and punch a hole in the hull with his tail. Rumble and I will be ready to catch and pull you both back up for another run.”

“Understood.” Mala nodded, reaching down to pat the wriggling dragon’s shoulder.

As one, the pair of dragons rose and dove towards their opponents, Rumble quickly overtaking Shattermaster as they descended. As they neared bow range, Tengan tapped her heels to her dragon, signaling for him to release a shower of blinding lightning. “NOW!” She hollered, her eyes squinted against the sharp light.

The plan worked beautifully. Aided by the speed from their dive, Shattermaster managed to flip himself over and plunge through two ships before losing momentum. In that moment, Rumble set off another blinding shower of lighting as his large claws clamped down on the Gronckle’s sides.

“It worked!” Mala gasped as Rumble released her and Shattermaster once they had climbed well out of arrow range.

“Yes, it did.” Tengan agreed with a smile. “You did well with him. Ready fo-” She cut off as a wave of pain spread through her lower back and abdomen, forcing her to curl in on herself.

“Are you alright?” Mala asked quickly, her eyes raking over the young woman. 

“I’m fine.” Tengan answered through gritted teeth as the pan subsided. “Just pushed myself a little too far. Backaches have been commonplace for me lately.” She smiled. “Let’s get set up for another run, Rumble has enough lightning stored for at least another four or five attempts.”

The pair dove again and again, each time resulting in a hunter’s ship sinking beneath the waves. Small stolen glances at their friends showed they were faring pretty well. Through a combination of lava blasts and spines, Astrid and Fishlegs had taken down a few ships themselves. Snotlout and Spitelout, whenever the Hunter were preoccupied with the others, had been doing an excellent job of burning holes in their sails. From the booming laughter emanating from somewhere behind them, Tengan hoped it meant Dagur, Heather, and the twins were faring well.

The ungodly screeches of a pack of Singetails filled the air as the remaining Fliers took to the air once more. With silent understanding, Astrid, Tengan, Mala, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and Spitelout fell back to regroup as they watched the wave of dragons approach.

“Any ideas?” Fishlegs asked meekly, his eyes wide with terror.

A deep, furious roar that seemed to shake the very air around them answered, forcing all in the area to halt. All eyes, human and dragon, darted around in an attempt to locate the owner of such a rage filled sound.

“It must be the King of Dragons!” Astrid cried out as she struggled to steady Stormfly.

Recovering quickly, the Fliers whipped their Singetails into a frenzy as they approached the exhausted Riders. Falling into formation, the group readied their weapons, all aware they may just be the last time they rushed into battle together.

As the first Singetail approached, a new, strangely melodious roar rang out as a thick, amber colored goo struck the lead Flier and sent him tumbling to the ground below. A large, shimmering dragon of yellow and blue pulled alongside the group, his eyes sparkling.

“That can’t be Garf!” Tengan cried out as she grinned at the Deathsong. “How could he have known where we were? Or that we needed him?”

“He’s not the only one, it seems!” Mala called out as she pointed above and behind the group.

A strong gust of wind preceded the impossibly large dragon pack. The sun was blotted out as an endless sea of green, blue, yellow, red, brown, white, gray, and purple scales soared over the riders and towards the remaining Hunters and Fliers. The sigetails were immediately overwhelmed. Unable to do more than hover among the onslaught, their captors were quickly and unceremoniously plucked and thrown from their backs. Below, the remaining Hunter ships began to rock ominously as seadragon after seadragon rammed into the reinforced hulls.

While the Riders simply looked on in awe, Heather, Dagur, and the twins climbed to join them, flanked by the Wingmaidens. Despite a few cuts and bruises, thankfully, none looked worse for wear.

“Oh thank the stars you’re all alright.” Tengan sighed in relief, a knot of tension easing within her she was unaware she even carried. As she slouched forward, another wave of pain shot through her back and belly once more, forcing her to sit up straight as she bit back a small cry of pain.

“Are you alright?” Dagur asked as he guided Sleuther in closer, concern etched in his face as he quickly eyed her for any injuries.

“I’m fine.” Tengan protested with a weak smile as she drank in the wonderful sight of her uninjured partner. “Just a couple of backaches. It’s been a while and quite a few pounds since my last battle. Thankfully, it seems we’ll be ok now, thanks to the wild dragons.”

“Where did all of them come from?” Heather asked with a wide, amazed smile as she held her arms out towards the sky.

Fishlegs beamed back at her. “The roar from the King of Dragons must have been a distress signal! It called forth all available dragons!”

“Then what are we still doing here?” Astrid called to the others, a triumphant smile on her face. “Let’s work together and with the wild dragons. This ends today!”

With a unified cry, the Riders dove back into the frenzy, their dragons’ energy seemingly restored by their newly swollen ranks. The Hunters seemed to lose their nerve at the sight of the tidal wave of fangs, claws, fire, and wings. A few managed to fire off an arrow or two, but most gave into blind panic. As they scrambled across decks or threw themselves into the ocean, wave after wave of dragon picked them off. Soon the harbor was ablaze with tiny islands of fire as the ships were engulfed. The newly freed Singetails seemed especially fond of turning on their former captors. As the screams of the Hunters died off, the wild dragons began to peel off and split as they made their way back to their own islands.

“Has anyone seen Hiccup?” Astrid chimed in as they circled over the burning harbor for a third time, confirming the absence of survivors on the charred husks of the Hunter’s ships.

“No.” Heather answered. “But I think I know where he might be. I saw him enter a cave when we were defending the village. It has one main exit.”

Wordlessly, the group turned and followed Windshear back to the island, their dragons gliding as much as possible to preserve what little strength they had left. Thankfully, Heather’s hunch was right. As they approached the wide mouth of the cave entrance, Hiccup and Toothless emerged holding-

“Is that the King of Dragons’ egg!?” Fishlegs squealed in excitement as he slid from Meatlug’s back.

“Yep.” Hiccup smiled as he held the egg aloft for the group to see. “I never got to see the dragon, but it saved my life back there. It killed Johann before fleeing but had to leave it’s egg behind when…. Wait, where’s Krogan? You guys have him right?”

“No.” Astrid added wearily, her exhausted yet relieved eyes trained on Hiccup. “We just finished checking the harbor for any stragglers and saw his SIngetail leave with the other dragons. We thought you had taken care of him.” A chill seemed to run through the group at the realization that he had slipped away.

“Hey.” Fishlegs piped in. “The King of Dragons is safe and so is the egg. That’s all that matters. Krogan can wait for another day.”

Tengan smiled as she leaned against Dagur’s side, the events of the day taking their toll. “What of our people?” She murmured quietly as Hiccup began to fill the others in on his adventure in the caves.

Dagur looped an arm under her, easily supporting her weight. “No one died.” He began as he pushed a strand of hair out of her face. “A few broken bones and a surplus of burns, but nothing you and the healers won’t be able to sort out. A couple of the buildings burned down but nothing irreplaceable. Our home is fine, never even singed. I saw to that.”

Sighing with relief, she let her weakened body lean further against him. “I suppose we should head back soon. Burns always heal better when treated quickly.”

Dagur chuckled at her sleepy expression. “Yes, but the other healers are already on that. You need food and rest. Like Fishlegs said, everything else can wait.”

Tengan opened her mouth to protest when a third, stronger wave of pain hit her, stealing the words from her mouth. This time, it radiated directly from the center of her abdomen and shot down to her hips. As she recovered from the sudden cramp, a spark of realization clicked into place. Aware that every person in the group was now staring at her with concern, though none nearly as much so as Dagur, she forced an exasperated smile. “While you’re right my love that mostly everything else can wait, I fear there’s one thing that cannot.” She straightened as much as she could, drawing a deep, shaky breath, her hands rubbing soothing circles over her rounded belly. “Would you all mind helping me back to the house? I believe it’s time for the newest Berserker to join us.”


	30. Adventure Never Ends

Of course the final chapter would not be complete without some art by the always oh so amazing and talented Baisley!! Please check out the Dagcup fics over at https://archiveofourown.org/users/baisley they are AMAZING.

“Sigrid, put your father’s axe down. It’s much too large for you.” Without lifting her eyes from the small child on the table before her, Tengan raised her voice, allowing it to carry across the room. 

“Ma!” The young girl whined back as the heavy handle of the weapon thudded to the floor by her feet. “Da promised!” Her voice pitched higher as one her small feet taped an indignant rhythm on the floor beneath her.

“I heard him. He promised when you turned three he would start to teach you to fight. However, he did not promise to let you drag his axe across the house and damage the floor.” Tengan countered calmly as she finished bundling the small boy. Hoisting him onto her hip, she turned and smiled down at her older child. “Patience, Little One. Breakfast just ended. Your Da will be back from the morning patrols soon.” Her smile widened at the frustrated glare on the toddler’s face. Though Sigrid’s skin was a closer color to her own, her fiery hair and personality were all Dagur’s. 

“Down.” The small boy on his mother’s hip spoke up as he began to tip his upper body toward the floor. “Down.” He repeated, his piercing green eyes locked on his older sister.

“Alright, Oswald.” Tengan sighed as she set the smaller boy down. “Sigrid, why don’t you practice your words with Oswald until your father gets back. Don’t you want to show Nana how much you know when she arrives later?”

“Nana coming home? Today?” Sigrid asked, completely distracted from her campaign to steal the forbidden axe. Her eyes brightened as she glanced around the room,determined to find which piece of furniture her grandmother was hiding behind.

“She’s not here yet.” Tengan explained calmly as she retrieved the book they had been taking turns reading from the past week or so. It was one of her old journals detailing the missions she had flown with the Dragon Riders back when they were stationed at Berk. Dragons and fighting were the two subjects that always seemed to hold the girl’s attention for longer than thirty seconds. “She’s coming later for your party.”

“Book.” Oswald proclaimed as his small legs finally carried him over to his older sister. Grabbing at her hand, he led her over to the soft fur rug placed before the still smoldering hearth of the living room’s fireplace and unceremoniously plopped himself down, his inquisitive eyes staring patiently up at Sigrid.

Tengan suppressed a giggle as the older girl gave in and sat next to her brother. As hard-headed and stubborn as she could be, she always had a soft spot for her baby brother. Once Oswald had begun to walk, the two had become nearly inseparable. Opening the book to their last marked passage, she set it down before them before sitting on the rug behind the siblings. “Do you need help remembering where we stopped?”

“No.” Sigrid waved her mother off with a flick of her tiny wrist and leaned forward, her face comically close to the page as she studied the written words carefully. “Tooth...less was sad he had to…. av… av…. ”

“Avoid.” Tengan supplied gently as her eyes flicked to the stone still and silent Oswald. The small boy’s eyes were locked onto his older sister as his fists tightened over bunches of fur. Of the pair, he seemed much more enthralled with the worlds hidden behind walls of written word, despite his young age.

“Avoid…” Sigrid continued, her face screwed up in concentration. “...the town. Thor was…. a-angry with him.” The young girl’s eyes widened as she and her brother looked up at their mother in unison. “Ma?” She asked, her small mouth falling open in surprise.

“If you want to find out why, you should keep reading. That’s a very interesting story.” Tengan coxed with a gentle smile as she settled in with her children. As Sigrid continued, slowly picking up speed as she worked her way down the pages, the young mother let her mind wander. She took a moment to feel a sense of well deserved pride as she listened to her daughter read with increasing confidence each day despite her young age. If she had half the interest in learning to write, the girl would have been considered advanced by the standards of the Shimmering Shores. She had no doubts her son would be the same, if not a more voracious scholar than his role model, as she watched him glare stubbornly at the pages as if to demand they release their secrets to him. No matter how well or poorly they did, Tengan knew she would always be proud of them.

“Where’s the birthday girl?!” Dagur’s voice boomed into the cabin as he swung the door open, one arm behind his back. 

“DAAAA!!!” The pair of children shrieked as they scrambled to their feet, the book completely forgotten as they bolted over to their waiting father.

Tengan rolled her eyes softly, marked their new place with a strip of leather, and set the book on a high shelf for later. Turning to face her family, she fought a giggle at the sight. Dagur, clearly hiding something behind his back, was trying, and failing to scoop both wriggling children up off the floor with his remaining arm. Crossing the room in two long strides, she swept Oswald up into her arms, allowing him to gather Sigrid in his. “We missed you.” She murmured softly before pressing a sweet kiss to his lips.

“I noticed.” Dagur chuckled as he placed alternating kisses on his children’s foreheads. Shifting Sigrid higher in his arms, he met the young girl’s excited face with a comically serious expression. “Sigrid, we have something very important to do today. Do you remember?”

“Yes Da.” Sigrid nodded enthusiastically. “You promised.” Her smile faded into a deep pout as she pointed backwards into the room behind her. “Ma said no axe.” She stated matter-of-factly.

Dagur bit on his bottom lip, his chest bouncing with barely contained laughter as he fought to keep his voice even. “Your Ma is absolutely right. My axe is way too big for you.” His stern expression faded into a beaming grin as he finally revealed the object he had been hiding behind his back. The small, ornate axe looked to be just the right size for a small child. It’s polished wooden handle was wrapped in soft leather and the blunted head shone brilliantly in the mid-morning sunlight streaming through the still open front door. “That’s why your Ma and Da had this one made! Happy Birthday my little warrior!” Bringing the small axe closer to her, he swooped in and pressed a kiss on her cheek, smiling as her face began to squish against his with the pressure.

“Happy Birthday, Sigrid.” Tengan added with a small smile as she ran her palm over her daughter’s wild tangle of hair. “Little One, can you read what’s written on the axe?”

Sigrid, eyes wide in eager anticipation to use her newest and greatest treasure, scrunched her eyes as she peered at the engraving on the flat edge of the metal. “S-Sigrid.” She read out slowly, annunciating each of the syllables in her name. “Sigrid! Me! My axe! Just like Da!” She cheered, swinging her arms wildly.

Forseeing the danger, Tengan took half a step back and shifted Oswald on her hip just in time to avoid being clipped with the tiny weapon. Though blunted, she knew a direct hit would still hurt and she had no plans to patch up either herself or their son this early in the day. “Careful now Sigrid! It’s not a toy.”

“Your Mother’s right.” Dagur added as he gently set her down. “That is a warrior’s weapon and you must learn how to use it properly.” His stern, fatherly tone was being completely undermined by his grin. Clearly experiencing a proud papa moment, his eyes glimmered as he beheld his first born clutching at her first weapon.

Sigrid nodded solemnly, her eyes glued to her father as she took his words to heart. “Yes, Da.” She glanced over her shoulder, back to where the larger axe sat on the floor. “Training now? Please?” She asked in her patented ‘I Can Get Daddy To Do What I Want’ voice, her eyes wide and hopeful.

Dagur’s grin widened as he reached down to tousle her unkempt hair. “Of course! Anything for the Birthday Girl!” With quick movements, he slipped into the house and shouldered his axe.

“Go, go!” Oswald spoke up as he connected the dots. Typically content to watch and listen, he had only recently begun verbally calling for things he wanted. Lately, he had come to despise being left in the house with Tengan when Dagur took Sigrid out on patrol or to play in the stables.

Tengan shifted the bounding child higher on her hip and smiled at her beloved. “I guess the two of us are heading out as well.” She paused outside as Dagur pulled the door shut behind them and instructed Sigrid on how to properly shoulder her axe while walking. Her smile widened as she hastened to copy her father’s movements. “You’re the spitting image of your Da.” She grinned at the pair. “Have a great time and be back by lunch, you hear? I still have to do your hair before the guests arrive.”

Sigrid nodded enthusiastically, bouncing on her heels. “Let’s go, Da!” She encouraged, pressing her free hand into one of Dagur’s calves and pressing all her toddler strength into the motion. 

“Alright, alright we’re going.” Dagur conceded with a chuckle as he allowed the small girl to begin slowly pushing him down the path towards the training grounds. “Where are you two off to?” 

“Probably over to the lower stables. I haven’t been able to check in on the Auxiliary Riders the past few days.” Tengan glanced off towards the center of town. “Any sign of Rumble? Or is he still off hunting on Wild Boar Island?”

“Could have sworn I saw him snoozing in the lower stables when we flew by this morning.” Dagur added as Sigrid continued to push him further down the path. “If he’s not in, feel free to take Sleuther! We took it easy this morning.”

“Rum?” Oswald perked up at the mention of the Skrill's name, his eyes wide. “Ma? Rum?” The small boy gathered tight fistfulls of his mother’s shirt as he began to impatiently bounce in her arms.

“Alright you two we’re going!” Tengan let out a bark of exasperated laughter as she started off towards the village’s center. “Remember! Be back home by lunch!” She called over her shoulder before redoubling her speed. “Yes, Oswald we’re going to see Rumble.” She murmured in a vain attempt to soothe the excited child. 

Thankfully, neither child had ever shown any reluctance or fear when it came to the island’s resident dragons but little Oswald seemed particularly drawn to the creatures, especially the Skrill. The moment he began to crawl and walk on his own, they had to start keeping a close eye on him. Once, as Dagur had been distracted by a trader, Oswald had crawled right over to Rumble, grabbed onto his nose spine and pulled himself upright for the first time in his life. The Skrill, for his part, seemed just as taken with the tiny human. He would playfully dangle the tip of his tail above the child or gently lift him by his clothes when he felt the boy was becoming too energetic for his own good. 

It wasn’t too surprising to Tengan that her dragon and her son got on so well. Not even taking into consideration Rumble’s eagerness in helping raise Sigrid when she was smaller, the Skrill had become quite the accomplished father himself the past few years. A few weeks after Sigrid had been born, while Tengan still found the prospect of riding impossible, the Skrill had disappeared off the island for several days. He returned with a slightly larger female in tow and soon the pair established themselves on the island. Last winter the female, nicknamed Spark, had flown off to the nesting grounds and come back with four babies in tow. While still much too small to ride, the young Skrills were celebrated and often spoiled by all the Berserkers.

With the addition of breeding dragon pairs and the Auxiliary Riders on the island, it seemed only prudent to expand the stables. Seeing as the King of Dragons no longer slept beneath in the cave system, the dragons were now all free to come and go as they pleased. So, right in the center of town, a new stable, feeding station, and practice arena were built. The new facilities attracted a few wild dragons here and there and nowadays, it seemed like almost half of the island’s residents had a flying partner of their own. Some, like the female Razorwhips who accompanied Windshear on their yearly pilgrimage to their nesting grounds still preferred the quiet of the clifftop stalls while others, mainly the bonded dragons, seemed quite happy soliciting scratches and treats from any and everyone who walked past the lower stalls.

“Rumble?” Tengan called out softly, mindful of a sleeping Shattermaster in one of the nearby stalls. “Are you here, boy?”

“Rum! Rum!” Oswald cried out before reaching for the ground, throwing his body as far forward as he could. “Down!”

“Alright, hold on!” Tengan fruitlessly requested as she set the child down. “Where’s Rumble, Oswald?”

“Rum!” Oswald cried out again as he toddled forward as quickly as his tiny legs could carry him, abruptly waking Shattermaster in the process, who thankfully just huffed and rolled on his back to continue napping. Spotting a familiar purple tail, he redoubled his speed and volume. “Rum!” Rounding the corner, he approached the still somehow sleeping Skrill’s head and came to a halt. “Rum!” He called again, his tiny face screwing up in frustration as his best friend simply slept on, oblivious to his visitors.

After the fifth or six cry of his name, the peaceful Skrill let out a long, palliative groan and cracked open one large eye, the pupil taking a second or so to focus on the tiny child standing over him. With a low rumble of greeting, he lifted his head off the ground and exhaled deeply, the fog of his breath nearly knocking the small boy to the ground.

“Rum!” Oswald beamed and flung himself forward across the dragon’s snout, laughing as the vibrations of the dragon’s humming tickled his stomach. “Up! Up!”

Tengan smiled as the Skrill complied and lifted his head ever so slightly higher so the boy's toes hovered a couple inches off the stone floor of the stable. Sliding past the two, she let her hands trail along the familiar dragon’s scales as she retrieved a specialized saddle from a nearby shelf. Built very similarly to her old one, this saddle was made of firm but comfortable leather. The seat stretched farther back and featured a series of loops and straps on the front edge designed to anchor a small child to the seat in front of her. While it had originally been a gift from Gobber and Stoick shortly after Sigrid’s birth, the saddle was still in fine condition and saw regular use again now that Oswald had decided Rumble was his second favorite thing in the world behind his older sister.

“Think you’re up to checking in on the Auxiliary Team today boy?” Tengan asked as she settled the saddle into place, pausing to adjust the straps wherever they happened to snag on the dragon’s scales. “Off Rumble’s head now, Oswald. It’s time to fly.” Plucking the giggling toddler off the Skrill’s nose, she slipped him into his straps with relative ease before settling down in the saddle behind him, her arms creating guard rails for the child as she held onto two of Rumble’s longest horns.

“Fly! Rum! Fly!” Oswald squealed and patted the dragon’s head with both of his tiny palms.

Rolling his shoulders, Rumble shuffled his wings before standing upright. With half a dozen long, loping strides, they cleared the stable and took off, climbing just high enough to avoid the rooftops of the tallest buildings below.

Tengan smiled down as Oswald fearlessly threw his hands into the air, squealing with unrestrained joy. Her heart always seemed to overflow whenever she could take to the skies with the children. It was a privileged sight she was glad to share with them and often daydreamed about what fabulous Riders they would make in their own time. “I think the drills are scheduled to be run out by the sea stacks today. Let’s head over and check.”

With the slightest shift in her weight, they trio angled out towards the open ocean. Before long several other shapes came into view. Nearly a dozen dragons, from Nadders and Gronckles, to a couple Razorwhips and even a Typhoomerang, were working with their riders. Today’s lesson seemed to be on air defence from a grounded enemy. Half the dragons were desperately darting between the clustered rocks while the others took turns instructing their dragons to fire on their comrades from their stations on the rock. Coaxing Rumble to a halt, Tengan simply sat quietly, watching the drills with interest while absentmindedly playing with Oswald’s hair.

After a few minutes, a particularly familiar Razorwhip glanced over at the pair and roared her greeting. Her rider, spotting the dragon’s distraction, gave a brief wave before calling the exercise to a halt and beckoning the Skrill closer. “I thought you’d be busy getting Sigrid ready for the party later!” Heather called out warmly in greeting. 

“Dagur gave her our gift a little early.” Tengan called out over Rumble and Windshear’s friendly growls of greeting. “They’re practicing in the arena until noon. Figured it was a good time to stretch and check in on this lot.” She gestured towards the now approaching group of dragons.

“They’re not half bad.” Heather admitted with a respectful nod. “Not that it’s likely, but if we ever had to face a new threat on dragon back the enemy would be hard pressed to find a weak spot in their formations.”

“Rum! Go go!” Oswald, bored with the mundane conversations of the adults, lightly patted the top of the Skrill’s head with his open palms as he bounced as much as his restraints would allow.

“Looks like someone’s eager to start flight training!” Heather teased lightly, hiding a laugh behind her hand.

Tenagn shifted one hand off of Rumble’s headspike to soothe the excited Oswald. “He’s been getting bolder every time we fly. If I’m not careful he’ll start climbing onto random dragons soon.” Looking up, she grinned at the group of riders that were typically under her command. “Heather says you’ve all been working hard and doing well. Anyone fancy a quick race to the cliffs and back to show me what you’ve been learning?”

“As long as you’re prepared to lose for once!” Kralins called from his Nadder’s saddle. The once border guard had been one of Tengan’s first picks when she established the Auxiliary Riders soon after Sigrid’s birth. Though hesitant at first, he had bonded quickly with his dragon and was arguably the best of the bunch.

“I look forward to seeing you try!” Tengan shot back good-naturedly as she crouched low in Rumble’s saddle, her chin brushing against Oswald’s locks.

While it was not the most productive session for the Auxiliary Riders, it was certainly the most enjoyable in recent memory. Between races, showing off trick flying, and a couple fire shooting contests, Tengan almost felt as if she were a teen Rider back on Berk. Just before noon, the group disbanded, each flying off in their own direction to rest or help with prep for the evening’s party. It seemed every year, the children’s birthdays turned into a bigger and bigger event as Dagur seemed desperate to outdo himself in spoiling the youngsters. Not that anyone seemed to mind, the semi-annual village-wide events were the perfect excuse to cut loose, put off a few minor chores, and celebrate in the company of their friends and families.

Just as the sun reached its apex, Tengan landed before her front door, extracted a very windswept Oswald from his seat, and quickly unsaddled Rumble. With a quick pat and a scratch under his chin, she released the dragon to his own devices and shouldered open the door. “Dagur! Sigrid! Are you two home yet? It’s time for lunch!”

“MAAA! MAA!” Sigrid’s excited, high pitched cries echoed from the back room towards the entryway. The young girl wasn’t far behind, her dirty, mildly knotted hair bouncing wildly as she sprinted towards her mother.

Tengan barely had time to set Oswald on the ground before Sigrid latched onto her knees, her tiny arms gripping as tightly as she could. “Ma! Da showed me!” She managed to get her words out through heavy puffs of breath. “Da showed me to fight!” She grinned up at her mother, eyes sparkling.

“Didn’t have to teach her much.” Dagur added as he emerged from the back room, scooping Oswald up in his arms and planting a kiss on the young boy’s cheek. “Our girl’s a natural fighter! A real Berserker soldier!”

Tengan smiled down at her eldest child, cupping her cheeks with both hands. “I’m so proud of you! Why don’t you tell me all about it while we prep lunch? Then I’ll do the braids you like before the party.”

Sigrid, still smiling, shook her head. “Da made lunch. And Nana said she braid.”

“I hope you don’t mind that I offered to do it. Dagur mentioned you’ve both been working so hard I figured I could take something off your plate.” Makara’s voice carried down and she and Frewin descended the stairs. “Hello, Little Scribe.” She greeted warmly as pulled her daughter in for a hug, mindful not to step on Sigrid who was still clinging to her mother’s legs.

“Mother! Father!” Tengan gasped in surprise as she turned to hug both her parents. “When did you two get here?”

“About an hour ago.” Frewin answered as he reached down to tousle Sigrid’s hair. “We settled Wavebreaker and Kelp in at the lower stables and happened to come across Dagur and Sigrid as they were walking back.” Smiling, he gently thumped the fiery-haired chief on the shoulder. “I had no idea he could smoke a mutton leg so perfectly.”

Somehow, in a whirlwind of activity and endless insisting on Makara and Frewin’s part, within half an hour, Oswald was nursed, Tengan was fed, and the small family was sitting in the main room while Frewin fetched a slightly bulging saddlebag.

“Now Sigrid.” Frewin began, his voice painfully slow and drawn out as he set the bulgin bag down before the excited children. “Three is a very important age. But you knew that already, right?”

Sigrid, her wide eyes glued to the bag, nearly vibrated with energy as she nodded. “Yeah! Da says I’m a big girl! Can fight now!” Leaping to her feet, she held her small axe aloft over her head, her face scrunched up with all the fierceness the small child could muster.

“Of course it does!” Frewin continued with a booming laugh. “But it also means something more. Your Ma was about your age when she began learning to write her letters.” Opening the bag with a small flourish, he extracted a recently rebound leather book and opened it so the two small children could see. Scattered among the pages were line after line of large, messy block letters. Many were smudged or simply faced the wrong direction.

“Those are Ma’s letters?” Sigrid asked, setting her axe down as her head tilted in curiosity. “So messy!” She giggled, pointing at a particularly crooked and smudged and backwards P.

“We all are when we first start out.” Makara added with a patient smile. Reaching around Frewin, she flipped lowly through the book, showing the slow but steady progress from wiggly lines to neatly structured letters and even a couple sentences. About halfway through the book, the writing completely faded out, leaving a plethora of untouched pages. “These pages are for you to practice in Sigrid. Once you can write all your letters you can start keeping journals just like your Mother.”

Tengan shared a warm smile with Dagur before gently placing her hand on Sigrid’s tiny shoulder. Her heart melted as her child seemed captivated with the seemingly endless sea of blank pages. While she had tried to encourage her to start practicing writing, up until now, the excitable mini-Dagur had seemed more keen on reading and fighting than struggling through the tedious process of mastering the art of penning her thoughts. “And once you start keeping your own journal, I’ll give you a whole shelf in the library for your books.”

“Really Ma?!” Sigrid beamed as she tilted her head back to look straight up at her mother. “A shelf for Sigrid books?”

“A whole shelf.” Tengan promised with a small nod. 

Oswald, wholly unimpressed with the apparent lack of story in the journal, wiggled his way past his older sister and began tugging at the still full saddlebag, standing on his toes to peer inside it. “Book?” He asked the dark contents within.

Frewin chuckled and stuck his hand back in the bag. “No Oswald, no book for you this time. But we figured you’d enjoy this.” His hand reappeared, clutching a small, soft wood sword with extremely rounded and expertly sanded edges. “Sigrid had a practice sword much like this one when she was your age.”

“My play sword!” Sigrid cried out in excited recognition as she began to reach for the toy.

Dagur was faster, his hand catching his daughter’s outstretched arm before she could connect with the toy. “Yours broke last year when you hit that rock, remember? That’s Oswald’s toy sword. Besides, you have your own big-viking axe.”

Sigrid frowned for half a moment before she remembered her newly acquired treasure. Smiling, she backed away from the toy and picked her tiny axe up off the floor. “Oswald has the toy sword!” She proudly announced to the room.

Oswald, totally unperturbed by his sister’s interception attempt, gingerly took the toy from his grandfather. He stared at each of the adult’s faces in turn, as if confirming no one would dare try to take his prize before holding it proudly in front of him, his determined expression trained on the small sword. “Mine.” He stated plainly.

“Yes, that one is yours.” Makara confirmed. “Frewin, why don’t you take Oswald outside and let him try it out while Sigrid and I get started on her braids?”

As the children happily toddled off with their grandparents, Tengan and Dagur quickly found themselves with nothing to do for the couple of hours preceding the party. With little insistence from Makara, they soon found themselves happily resting in bed and enjoying an all too rare moment of peace. “It’s been a long while since we’ve had a few minutes of quiet to ourselves.” She murmured into the darkness as she snuggled into her partner’s chest.

Dagur chuckled, the sound filling the room as he drew her in closer. “Too long. Maybe we should ask your parents to come stay with us.”

Tengan snorted. “We’d have more luck convincing Hiccup to stop riding Toothless.” Shifting in his embrace, she planted a long, tender kiss to his lips. “I will admit, it is nice to have a private moment with you... Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” She asked, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Dagur grinned back and shifted so he laid on his back with Tengan’s head propped up on his chest. One arm snaked under her shoulder and came to rest on the small of her back while the other was folded behind his head. “That a nap would be perfect right now?”

“You know me so well.” Tengan murmured sleepily as she quickly drifted off into the love of her life’s arms.

That evening the small clan emerged from the hut and began down the gently sloping path to the open air hall used for everything from council meetings to celebrations. Tengan walked arm in arm with Dagur as she chatted idly with Makara, who was holding a still lightly dozing Oswald on her hip. On Dagur’s opposite side, Sigrid, suspended in the air between Dagur and Frewin, shook her head continuously to show off the detailed braiding Makara had done for her earlier, her tiny axe attached to her narrow leather belt.

As the group rounded the corner into the decorated arena, an explosion of “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” and various punctuating roars filled the air. Dozens upon dozens of smiling faces and several excitable dragons, both bonded and wild intermingled with the celebrating vikings. Poor Oswald jolted in his grandmother’s arms and nearly toppled to the ground in his panic. 

Sigrid wasted no time in diving into the festivities. Tearing off into the fray, she hardly noticed Dagur lightly jogging behind her to keep up as she tackled Heather, her tiny arms clinging around her aunt’s legs. “Look! Look!” She hollered up at the raven haired viking as she unsheathed her axe, holding it aloft for all the gathered warriors to “ooh” and “ahh” over.

Tengan, with a quick glance over to make sure Dagur still had half an eye on Sigrid, gathered Oswald from Makara and set him gently down on the ground, one hand encasing nearly half of his forearm as she allowed him to lead them into the fray. “Why don’t you two go and get something to drink?” She suggested to her parents as they approached the first wave of people. “I should make a quick circuit and greet everyone. It looks like Hiccup brought half of Berk along with him.”

The first couple hours of the party melded together in a lovely chaotic blend of greetings. Nearly every Berserker wished to pass on their praise of the fine young warriors both her children were shaping up to be. Twice, Oswald was coaxed into flexing his non-existent muscles to the delight of the crowd.

“There you are!” Astrid’s voice carried over the crowd as she shuffled her way past several men. “Hey little man!” She smiled down at Oswald and tousled his hair.

Grinning up at the blond, who he always seemed particularly fond of, Oswald raised both arms and grasped at the air. “Up!” He all but commanded of the Nadder trainer.

Laughing, Astrid quickly complied and settled the small boy on his hip. “Glad to see he still remembers me!”

Tengan rolled her eyes playfully. “Please. You know your stories are some of his favorites. Although I think he’s just now started connecting the Astrid in the books to you.” With a quirk of her head, she began to lead the other woman over to a nearby plate of food. “So, how has everything been on Berk? Is Valka settling in well?”

Astrid nodded and passed a large honey treat to Oswald on to nibble at before grabbing one for herself. “She’s is. Has already been a great help with the new crop of Riders. Even Gustav listens to her without question. As for Berk, it’s looking more and more like a dragon sanctuary each day. No one would ever guess we used to hunt them. It all seems like a distant, fuzzy dream now…..” She paused to toss a mutton leg over to a lurking Monstrous Nightmare. “Although, I’m sure Heather’s told you all about this already.”

“Actually no.” Tengan shook her head mildly as the pair began to walk the party once more, their treats on tow. “She’s been keeping information about her frequent visits to herself lately. Dagur and I have a friendly bet on when she’ll announce Fishlegs makes their betrothal official.”

“I hope you chose sometime sooner rather than later.” Astrid added with a smile. “He’s been seen out by the field where your hut is more days than not. Personally, I think he and Mealug have been building a new hut. Hiccup goes out to help him sometimes but his lips are sealed. I’ve only flown over it once but it looks big enough for at least two people and has an attached stable big enough for a couple dragons.”

Tengan let out a long, low whistle, sincerely impressed with his efforts. “No matter when it happens, it’ll be bittersweet for us here. She deserves to go off and enjoy her life but she’ll be sorely missed. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dagur ends up walking around with a kicked puppy expression for a couple weeks after.”

“Did I hear my name?” Dagur greeted cheerfully as he approached the pair and planted a sweet kiss on Tengan’s lips as his arms wound around her waist.

“Maybe… Where’s Sigrid?” Tengan asked mildly as she scanned the crowd for their daughter.

“With Heather and Girlnut. She insisted on showing them all the forms we went over this morning.” Grinning, he held his arms out to Oswald. “Come here, Little Man.”

“No!” Oswald pouted and grabbed fistfulls of Astrid’s shirt as he leaned his head against her shoulder.

Laughing, Astrid shifted her grip on the boy. “Guess I’m on babysitting duty for a while.” She turned slightly to smile as the child. “Hey Oswald, do you want to come with me and say hi to Stormfly?”

Dagur perked up at the mention of the Nadder. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you a few questions if you have a minute. A couple of the Berserkers here have started working with this one really stubborn Nadder. Think you could help us out?”

Astrid nodded, a spark of interest in her eyes. “Dagur, you’ve come to the right dragon trainer. Tell me about it on the walk over to the stable?”

Tengan smiled at the pair and pressed a kiss on Dagur’s cheek. “You three go on ahead. I’m going to stay back and make sure Sigrid doesn’t cut anyone’s ankles.” With a small wave towards Oswald, who scarcely seemed to notice anyone other than Astrid, she began to meander back towards the throng of the party, stopping briefly to thank her guests for coming.

Spotting Sigrid performing her basic stances and swings for the very captivated Heather and Ruffnut, she waved at the trio before settling down on a nearby bench, content to watch the party unfold around her. As Sigrid completed her lengthy demonstration, she called out gently, holding her arm aloft so the child could see her clearly.

Chest heaving from exertion and a board grin firmly in place, the girl bounded over to her mother, careful to keep the blade of her axe away from her legs. “Another party tomorrow?” She asked as she finally closed the distance between them, her wide eyes sparkling in the firelight of the torches. 

Tengan smiled warmly, scooping her daughter up into her lap. “Not tomorrow. We can have another party for Oswald’s second birthday but that won’t be for a few months.” She gave the child a quick hug. Glancing up, she smiled as she noticed Astrid and Dagur, now holding a squirming Oswald, rejoin the party. “Why don’t you go show off your new axe to Astrid? Remember, she’s one of the strongest warriors on Berk. I’m sure she’ll be impressed with everything you learned from your Father today.”

As the newly invigorated child ran off to find the Nadder trainer, Hiccup collapsed into the empty seat next to her, smiling wearily. Never one to be far from his boy, Toothless greeted Tengan with a gentle nudge before lying comfortably behind the pair, his head resting on his front legs.

“Don’t tell me you two are tired already?” Tengan teased. “Are you going to let the three year old birthday girl outpace you?”

“Happily.” Hiccup sighed as he smiled out over the festivities. “Sleep is getting harder to come by now that I’m chief and Toothless is the alpha. This is the first day ‘off’ we’ve had in a couple months.”

Tengan nodded thoughtfully. “How are you doing?” She asked quietly after a moment.

Hiccup sighed, his smile taking on a more bittersweet edge. “Some days are better than others. It’s been great having my mother back but…. I still miss him. Every day. Sometimes things get so out of hand and I wish I had him for advice…. for help. Gobber’s been great but…” He trailed off.

“It’s not the same.” Tengan finished gently. “And it never will be. You and Dagur should talk more. He’s been missing his father a lot more lately. Especially with all the milestones the children are reaching. He explains it almost as if he forgets what he’s missing sometimes. Then Sigrid or Oswald will have a first. A first word, their first steps, their first ride on dragon-back and he says in those moments his first thought is ‘I can’t wait to tell Dad.’.... And then he remembers.”

Hiccup swallowed heavily and nodded once. After a long moment he found his voice once more. “Yeah… yeah it feels something like that.”

The pair sat in a comfortable silence for a couple more minutes, watching the festivities unfold around them. Several times Sigrid’s flaming hair would come into view as she darted between the legs of guests or managed to convince one to hoist her on their shoulders.

“There you two are!” Dagur boomed as approached the table, a fussy Oswald on his hip. “Hey T, good to see you.” He greeted Toothless with a rough scratch under the chin, smiling as the Night Fury responded with a small rumble of appreciation. Sitting down, he struggled to contain the wriggling toddler. “Was looking for you baby. He seems exhausted but won’t settle down for me at all.”

“Come here, you.” She gently collected her now whining child and gently began to rock her body back and forth, one hand coming up to lightly thump Oswald’s back as she angled his face away from the bright lights and dancing people. “It is way past your bed-time, huh Oswald?” She murmured as he slowly began to settle in her arms.

“Isn’t she the best?” Dagur asked Hiccup with a smile and small gesture towards Tengan. “Training babies is WAY different than dragons but she always seems to know what to do.” He sighed in relief before roughly slapping his thigh. “That reminds me! I saw Astrid was wearing her betrothal necklace. When exactly are we going to see an invitation for the ceremony, Brother? Sigrid and Oswald deserve to have some cousins by now.”

Hiccup, who had just begun a long drought from a mug of hot cider nearly choked as he lunged forward, his eyes wide. “Wha-wha kids? For me and Astrid! No-no no no we’re nowhere NEAR ready for that yet. B-Besides don’t you have a sister? Why don’t you ask her for some cousins?”

Dagur, biting his lip as he smiled at Hiccup’s stuttering panic, burst into roaring laughter, only settling when he noticed Oswad start to stir at the noise. “Sorry, Little Man.” He whispered to his son as he straightened. “I’m just messing with you, Brother. You’re much too easy. But do tell me, what’s been happening on Berk lately. Your letters are teasingly sparse on details.”

“Sorry about that.” Hiccup responded as he attempted, in vain, to wipe the dribbled cider off his shirt. “We’ve heard reports of rouge dragon trapper factions and don’t want to risk too much information in easily intercepted letters.” With a deep breath he began to describe all the efforts the Berkians had made to incorporate the now exponentially growing dragon population on their island. Apparently, word travels fast among dragons and when many had heard Toothless had defeated a Bewilderbeast, many had come seeking protection on Berk. They had tunneled into the cliff side to expand their stables, incorporated perpetually moving perches so dragons could take off and land without needing a runway, and countless other minor improvements.

“You know, it might do you two some good to come check it out.” Hiccup concluded, his smile and posture much more relaxed. “I’ve seen the improvements you’ve made on the stables here and with a little tweaking we could make them even better. Even with the small factions of trappers here and there, I don’t think any would try to take down two riders with a Skrill and Triple Stryke. It’s a great time to visit.”

“There you are!” Astrid’s cool voice carried over the din as she stormed over to the table. “Let me guess, he’s been filing you in on all of his latest dragon inventions and from Berk?” Glancing between Tengan and Dagur’s matching smiles and Hiccup’s guilty shrug gave her all the answer she needed. “That ends now mister. You can always talk about dragons tomorrow. Right now we’re dancing. It’s been months since we last had a chance!” With a small wave to the couple, she roughly yanked a stammering Hiccup to his feet and quite literally dragged him along to the dance floor. After a moment, Toothless stood and with an exaggerated stretch and yawn, trotted off to join the party as well.

“Brother makes some strong arguments.” Dagur commented after a long moment of silence, his eyes lazily tracking Hiccup and Astrid as they danced among the other guests. “It has been a couple years since we’ve traveled off our shores.”

“You make a good point.” Tengan agreed as she rubbed small, soothing circles on Oswald’s back as she idly rocked back and forth to the benefit of the sleeping babe. “The Auxiliary Riders are doing exceptionally well. They could easily defend the island if something were to happen.”

“You make it sound as if they won’t obey Heather.” Dagur added lightly as his gaze shifted to watch his sister laugh and dance arm in arm with Fishlegs.

Tengan followed his gaze, her smile softening at the sight. “You and I both know she’s not going to stick around here for much longer. As much as this will always be her home, she’s clearly ready to move on and start a family.”

A comfortable smile stretched between the pair for a long while as they watched the festivities. Sigrid seemed to thrive on all the attention. She stopped every guest she ran into to show off her braids and axe. “You know, I’ve got him.” Tengan spoke up after a while. “You can rejoin the party if you’d like.”

“And miss out on the opportunity to sit next to the most beautiful warrior on the island? No way.” Dagur teased as he leaned over to plant a soft kiss on her lips, mindful of their sleeping son.

Tenagn smiled in spite of herself, rolling her eyes playfully. “As you wish.” A long, content sigh escaped her lips as she glanced over towards the party goers once more. “Before we visit Hiccup, we need to go to the Shimmering Shores first. My parents have flown up several times to see the children but we haven’t made the journey south with them yet. It will be good for them to see where their mother comes from.”

“Of course.” Dagur agreed quickly as he carefully slipped an arm behind her back, resting his hand on her hip. “Spring is in full swing and all the crops are growing. There won’t be much for us to do until fall. We could spend a week or so down there, head home to make sure no one burned anything down while we were gone, and head to Berk after. As long as we check in now and again and are back before harvest, we could take the whole summer to explore with the kids. Show them all the places you’ve been having them read about.”

Tengan slowly leaned against his side and smiled, lost in the fantasy of traveling the archipelago once more, her entire family in tow. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, my love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And that’s all folks! Thanks again for sticking with Tengan through her journey. This was a story that has been slowly developing and evolving in my brain for several years. I’m so glad others found enjoyment in it as well. Special thanks to the lovely and amazing Baisley, I’ve decided to do a mini series continuing with this tiny family through the events of HTTYD3 and a little beyond, if anyone is interested in seeing more of Dagur, Tengan, Sigrid, and little Oswald. However, it will be a few weeks before I dive into that story line. I need a break from writing on a set schedule. Also, I recently found out I’m expecting a little one of my own and pregnancy has not been kind to me so far. I’ve also been binging a lot of Star Trek TNG as the TV with Netflix is closest to the bathroom so I may also dip my toe into a OC/Data fic. Either way, I love you all, thank you again for all the encouragement (ESPECIALLY YOU BAISLEY! YOU SINGLE HANDEDLY MADE THE LAST THIRD OF THIS FIC POSSIBLE) and I’ll see you all in the future!

**Author's Note:**

> This story is one I've been rolling around in my head for a number of years. I think I've finally figured out enough of the plot to finally put it to paper. While this will eventually be a romance between our main character Tengan and Dagur of the Berserker tribe, it is going to be a slow burn with the first several chapters focusing on introducing Tengan to Berk and the Riders. Even then the romance will be a haters-to-lovers scenario over the course of both TV series. Rated M for language and eventual "situations".


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